


Queen Takes Knight's Pawn

by Angstosaur



Series: The Fall-out of Canary Wharf [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Brecon Beacons, Canary Wharf Battle, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Torchwood One, UNIT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-07-24 09:26:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 52
Words: 106,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7503009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angstosaur/pseuds/Angstosaur
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Magwitch, a rogue scientist from Torchwood One is on the loose with something he stole from the armoury of the Hub. In order to find him and any other scientists that used the Battle of Canary Wharf to fake their own deaths, Jack has no choice but to send Ianto on an undercover mission as a disaffected Torchwood employee. This leads Ianto into danger, not least from his own memories of the fall of Canary Wharf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_“You’ve got to be fucking joking!”_

_“No! There’s no way you can ask him to do that!”_

_“I can’t believe you! Jack - you bastard!”_

_“It’s OK. I understand. I’ll do it.”_

_“Thank you, Ianto.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_Earlier that day:_

Sitting around the table in the boardroom, sipping the best coffee they’d tasted for what seemed like an eternity, the team reviewed recent events. It hardly seemed that it hadn’t been much more than a week since Gwen’s wedding.

In the aftermath of the week from hell, it had become apparent that Gates had been working with the Pharm and the Copley brothers long before the fall of Torchwood One. Tosh’s research indicated that Gates had continued to develop the incurable hybrid strain of the influenza virus in order to raise funds. They were all relieved that Gates’ plans, which had included blackmail and sales to unstable regimes or terrorists, had never been realised.

Jack looked pale as he sat at the head of the table, his hands clasped in front of him as he glanced around the room at his team.

“They used the virus to draw us out. Like you said before, Owen, if dead weevils turn up anywhere in Wales, who’s gonna pick ’em up? Us. It was a trap all along. And I wasn’t on the ball soon enough.”

“Jack? I’m not with you. What’s going on?” Gwen blurted out, thoroughly confused. “What did they want from us?”

“Copley wanted revenge – I get that. We killed his brother.” Jack shut his eyes and looked pained for a moment. He knew in his heart that he’d want the same if he ever got hold of those who’d taken his younger brother.

“He’d shot Owen – he was going to kill Martha,” Ianto spoke quietly, but his words were what Jack needed to hear. “You did what you had to do, Jack. Like you always do.”

“Yeah, I know. Anyway, Copley’s motives are easy to understand. It’s Gates who’s the problem - he wanted something I had stored in the armoury.” Jack paused to take a deep breath before looking directly at Ianto, regret etched in his face. “Something I took from Torchwood One.”

Before Gwen could demand to know what it was, Tosh spoke up.

“Gates can’t be working on his own.” Tosh stated adamantly. There was something going on that bothered her. “There must be others.”

“Yes, Tosh – I agree. If he was on the casualty list of the Battle of Canary Wharf and got away, there could be others. Others possibly trying to re-establish a Torchwood organisation under the lines that Yvonne set out.”

“That makes sense, I suppose,” Ianto agreed. The thought that there may have been more than twenty-seven survivors giving rise to mixed feelings.

“Ianto, I’m going to need you and Tosh to go through the lists of names again.” Jack looked apologetic, but he couldn’t see any alternative. Ianto had worked there, he knew the departments, he’d spot anomalies better than any of them. “There have to be more leads we missed. See what you can dig up.”

Ianto nodded, focusing on his breathing. He knew exactly what that entailed and suspected that it could only mean trouble. He sat quietly and tried to concentrate as he listened to the other members of the team relating their findings. His mind, in an attempt to displace unpleasant recollections with happier ones, kept straying back to the more pleasant memory of waking up to breakfast in bed … and Jack.

Whilst the rest of the team had taken the night off, Owen had stayed over in the Hub, partly out of a sense of guilt. He’d spent the time continuing with Gwen’s task of going through CCTV footage, tracking Gates’ movements after he left there the previous day.

“After leaving you, Ianto and his mate for dead, he got in a taxi outside the pub on Bute Crescent. I got its number – it took him to the university, dropped him off near the School of Biosciences. By all accounts he wanted out of the car the moment he saw the flashing blue lights.”

“I bet that came as a shock to him.” Ianto smiled at the thought of Gates finding his work destroyed. “I don’t suppose you’ve got any pictures of his face when he saw his lab burning to the ground?

“Sadly, no,” Owen frowned. “The security cameras on the campus were all conveniently off line at the time. Inside job if you ask me.”

“But he did go to see it!” Gwen announced, referring to her notepad. “I made a few calls to the police station this morning. Andy put me onto one of the new recruits who was on duty at the incident. She told me that a bearded professor-type had approached the cordon around the site and asked about the fire. He gave the impression of being worried that there may have been people working inside the lab at the time.”

“Sounds as if he was checking that we were dead,” Tosh shuddered, recalling the close call they'd had.

“Well unfortunately he was so sincere, seemed so upset, that she told him that the firemen hadn’t found any bodies in the building.”

“Oh great. So thanks to Cardiff’s finest, Gates knows that at least Gwen and Tosh are still alive.” Jack glared at Gwen, as if holding her responsible for anything to do with the police force in Cardiff. “I’d been hoping that he’d have been under the impression that we’d all perished. That would have bought us some time.”

Jack hated the feeling of powerlessness, he’d been wrong-footed and he was desperate for a break.

“Yeah and now he knows exactly where we are,” Owen grumbled. “I wouldn’t mind betting he’s got people watching us.”

Then it occurred to Jack that if they had been under any form of surveillance, it would also be possible that he’d been seen leaving the Hub with Ianto the previous night. They were under threat and he didn’t like it one bit.

“Yes, just like that copper that was spying on Jack and Ianto down in the Gower.” Gwen had to agree with Owen.

“Any news on him?” Jack looked across to Gwen hoping she’d have something for them to go on.

“Yes – suspended pending an enquiry, but the general consensus is that there isn’t enough evidence to nail him.”

“Shit. I wouldn’t mind the chance of questioning him myself,” stated Owen.

“Maybe I could arrange that if I ask my contacts nicely,” Gwen offered, wanting to do something to amend the hopeless situation they’d found themselves in.

“Get straight onto it, Gwen,” ordered Jack. “He’s the only link we have right now. Bring him back here if you can.”

“Right, Jack.”

“Owen – I want you to go back to the lab. See if anything can be salvaged from the unsanctioned bonfire you arranged.”

“Sorry ’bout that,” shrugged Owen. “Seemed a good idea at the time.”

“Yeah, I can sympathise. In fact, I’d probably have done the same thing,” conceded Jack. “Ianto? Tosh?”

“Casualty lists from Torchwood London?” Tosh looked over to Ianto and smiled softly as he stood up slowly, ready to follow her out of the boardroom. “We’ll make a start straight away.”  
Before Ianto got through the door he turned to look at Jack, trying to convey in a glance that he knew that it was unavoidable and that he accepted the task. He could make out the words ‘I’m sorry’ on Jack’s lips and nodded.

Jack watched his team go to work and wondered how much longer he could hang on to them.


	2. Chapter 2

Once everyone had set about their appointed tasks Jack had visited the armoury once more and then disappeared into the vaults. Returning with a heavy heart to his office, Jack had shut the door behind him, a gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by Ianto, but he kept his thoughts to himself. He knew better than to pester Jack, he’d tell him what was troubling him when he was ready, and not before. 

From his office, Jack observed Ianto through the slats in the blinds. He had known that it would hurt Ianto to have to revisit the last days of the Torchwood Institute in London yet again, and wished there had been an alternative way to do this. Even having Tosh work with him was not enough to take the strain away – as the day progressed he watched his lover’s shoulders droop, his stoic façade starting to crumble. Jack already had his suspicions and was hoping that the others would disprove them; he really didn’t want to have to carry out his plan if there was any way it could be avoided, it was a last resort and it would cost him dearly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the end of the day, Ianto and Tosh had succeeded in painstakingly cross-matching names and identity photos to the images of bodies recovered. They’d double-checked DNA profiles of the remains that could not be physically identified, including those deleted, exterminated or converted. It wasn’t just Torchwood 3 that kept blood samples of all its staff, although London went further and kept, on file, DNA profiles alongside fingerprints, dental records and retina scans. 

What they were left with was a list of those assumed to have been pulled into the Void. All unaccounted for at the end of the battle between the Daleks and the Cybermen. As Jack reviewed the end results of their research, he winced as he saw Rose’s name on the list of those taken into the Void. 

“All of these lost to the Void?”

“That’s what was assumed at the time,” said Tosh.

“What’s odd is the number of them from Yvonne’s inner circle,” pointed out Ianto, frowning at the list. “Here’s a list of chief scientists and prime movers. All key personnel and all apparently lost to the Void. Ironic that Yvonne herself ended up being converted. But if any of these people did survive … if they escaped…”

Although Ianto didn’t dare put into words his thoughts, Jack knew exactly what he was thinking. As he read the list of names, he bitterly wondered what they had might have taken with them. At the time, the devastation would have made any detailed checking of inventory impossible and any missing items would have been assumed to have been pulled into the Void as well.

“I should have checked,” growled Jack furious with himself. “I should have been more thorough.” 

All three of them silently contemplated the group of rogue Torchwood operatives that could potentially be at large. Jack blamed himself, he’d been so angry at having just missed the Doctor and then finding out that Rose was gone, he’d just let the others get on with the clear up operation, not paying as much attention as he should have done. 

Jack recalled with shame that he’d not even bothered checking on the survivors, he’d made no effort to make sure they were taken care of. Looking up at Ianto he remembered the toll that had taken – that had been his fault. However, no one at the time could have conceived of the possibility that there may have been some individuals prepared to use the tragic events of the day as a front for the convenient disappearance of not only personnel, but also of hardware. 

“Oh shit. Jack! Look at this!” Tosh called out from her computer. 

Tosh had been looking for any activity from the names on her list: financial transactions, travel arrangements, online blogging – anything that would give them a clue. One of the potential survivors had his own website, set up long before that fateful day in London. Tosh was surprised to find it was still valid and at the bottom of the home page there was a secure link to a password protected area. A link easily circumvented by Tosh using a nifty piece of software. 

“What’ve you got?” asked Jack.

“Looks like a recruitment drive for disaffected Torchwood employees –” explained Tosh as she ensured her tracks were well covered. 

“Let me see!” Ianto leaned over Tosh’s shoulder, an urgency to his voice that demanded attention. “Fuck. I know that face.”

Jack spun around to look at Ianto, shocked to see the distraught expression on his face. The image that Tosh had pulled up was that of a young man: late twenties, blonde hair, green eyes and handsome. Very handsome, Jack thought.

“Nick Morgan. Yvonne’s PA. Rumour was that it he provided her with more than cups of tea and digestives.”

“Really?” Jack arched an eyebrow, thinking that maybe his management style had more in common with Yvonne’s than he’d imagined. “Not coffee?”

“His coffee was crap I seem to recall,” stated Ianto emphatically, noting the gleam in Jack’s eye. 

“Never been much of a tea drinker myself,” said Jack, talking himself out of a tight corner.

Ianto pretended not to notice Jack’s discomfort as he started to explore the page that Tosh had discovered. 

“Tosh? What’s this?” Ianto pointed at the icon at the bottom left of the screen. It only showed up as he hovered the cursor in that area. It was a group of hexagons, tessellated just like the Torchwood emblem, but encircled by a spinning crown.

“I don’t know. Let me see.” Tosh took over from Ianto and focused on the icon he’d found. “I can’t access that area of the website - there’s a ridiculously high level encryption program protecting it.”

“I don’t like it,” Jack scowled. He may have thought that Morgan looked attractive, but he was beginning to smell a rat. “Any link to Gates?”

“None that I can find yet. But if there are any, I will find them.”

Jack sighed heavily. His worst fears were proving to be real and there was no way he could deny it any longer. There was an organisation set up by members of Hartman’s Torchwood and they had no choice but to infiltrate it and there was one person better suited to that mission than the rest of them. Another survivor of Canary Wharf. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“They’ll fucking kill him, Jack!” Owen was incandescent with rage. “They’ve already tried once.” 

“I can’t believe you’re asking him to do this!” shouted Gwen, shaking her head with anger.

“Shut up! All of you. Please?” beseeched Ianto. “Jack’s right. I hate to say it, but it has to be me.”

“You’re using him as bait to catch those bastards aren’t you, Jack?” Gwen was incredulous – partly at Jack’s plan and partly at Ianto’s acquiescence. 

Jack looked forlornly at Ianto. It was what he’d been dreading all along, but truly he had no choice. There were sacrifices to be made and he was having to ask Ianto to make them. For Torchwood. For him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a couple of short chapters to set the scene ... this is bigger than Magwitch, in every way possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the full chapter 3 - with an intimate scene at the end. Nothing explicit - I'll leave that to the imagination.

Gwen stood in front of Jack, glaring at him with undisguised horror. Her mouth still open, hands firmly on her hips, feet apart, bracing herself to enter battle if she had to. Ianto’s quiet acceptance had brought her to a standstill. She turned to him, not sure whether to be angry at him or to go over and hug him tight.

“Ianto – you don’t have to go along with this!” 

But Ianto didn’t respond, he was looking at Tosh, who was holding out her hand. Ianto reached out to take her hand as she reached across the table towards him. It appeared that he’d communicated with her without words as Tosh just grasped his hand tighter and smiled grimly. Gwen couldn’t help but think that there seemed to be a pact between the two of them, as if they shared a silent acknowledgment of exactly what they were prepared to give to Torchwood and more importantly to Jack. 

Owen cleared his throat noisily, wanting desperately to break the atmosphere in the boardroom. At one end, Jack and Gwen stood facing each other off in a frozen standoff, whilst Ianto and Tosh sat at the other end of the table, sharing one of their creepy quiet moments. 

“As his physician I refuse to give Ianto permission to return to active duty without a full medical workup to see what state he’s in. Don’t you dare try to argue with that, Harkness.” 

Jack looked away from Gwen to Owen, and then to the two still sitting at the table.

“Fine. Do it now,” Jack sighed. He had no choice but to agree with Owen’s conditions. But he had no intentions of letting his team forget that he was still in charge. “Gwen, go home. Tomorrow, I want you to bring in PC Evans for questioning. First thing. Got it?”

“What the hell are you up to?” Gwen asked, determined to get something out of Jack – some inkling as to what he was planning. 

“Don’t question me, Gwen,” Jack shook his head slowly, in warning. “If you can’t follow orders, maybe it’s time I reviewed your place here-”

“If I knew what the hell you were up to, Jack, I wouldn’t have to question you,” responded Gwen, throwing the ball back into Jack’s side of the court. She rubbed her face with sheer frustration. “But you’re not going to tell us a bloody thing, are you?”

“Tomorrow. I’ll tell you all then. First of all, Owen’s right. Until we know that Ianto is fit enough for this, nothing happens.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Jack,” Gwen spoke in a low voice, her tone deadly serious. 

Owen sighed, the atmosphere had got thicker if anything. It was always bad news when Jack and Gwen failed to see eye to eye. 

As the sound of Gwen’s boot heels, clicking on the tiled floor, echoed down the corridor, leading away from the boardroom, Jack looked over to Tosh.

“Can I see you in my office before you leave please, Tosh? Ianto – go with Owen.”

Owen raised an eyebrow and accompanied Ianto towards the medical area of the Hub. Ianto’s look of resignation didn’t escape his attention, nor did the absence of any further communication between him and Jack. He couldn’t help but think that there was a storm brewing and that one way or another they were all going to get caught in its path. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack had retreated to his office and was sitting, perusing scraps of paper, as Tosh knocked at the door. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Jack, because if anything happens to Ianto as a result of this, I shall hold you responsible.”

“Whatever blame you throw at me will be nothing compared to what I’ll put myself through. Trust me.” 

Jack hated himself for what he was asking of Ianto. Without going into details, he was already being subjected to resentment from the rest of the team, just like when he’d surrendered Jasmine to the fairies. Ironically, that time it had only been Ianto who had appreciated that Jack’s duty to do the right thing wasn’t always compatible with treating individuals with compassion. It seemed that, by seeing the big picture, he would be forever doomed to hurting those closest to him.

“What did you want?” Tosh’s curt request cut through the mire of self-pity that Jack was wallowing in.

“Communication devices. Those contact lenses - the ones Martha wore when she infiltrated the Pharm. I was wondering if –” 

“No, Jack, they’d be too risky,” Tosh sighed. She’d already considered that idea and rejected it. “They were still in the developmental phase when Martha used them. Her mission was short term and when she got back, the lenses had caused quite a severe inflammatory reaction. I’ve not been able to install the necessary hardware in lenses with a high water content. That means they become uncomfortable very quickly. On a long term mission, they’d have to be removed on a regular basis. That just increases the risk of their true function being discovered.”

“Damn!” Jack swept the scraps of paper from his desk in annoyance. He’d been relying on those lenses. “There’s no way I’m sending him in without some type of communication device. I can’t –”

“There is something else though. It’s not been tested yet…” Tosh was hesitant. She hadn’t had much opportunity recently to complete her research into the device, but it was essential that they come up with something if Jack insisted on sending Ianto in undercover. “Hybrid alien technology. Should be undetectable once installed. However, it would require surgically implanting –”

“Tell me about it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Tosh had finished describing her latest project to Jack, he sent her home, with strict instructions to keep their conversation private until the following day.

Jack strolled across to where Owen and Ianto were now sitting on the sofa. Ianto had his head thrown back, a half empty mug of coffee loosely cradled in his hands.

“Whatcha got for me then?” asked Jack pointing at the clipboard that Owen was clutching.

“I hate to have to say this, but he’s making a remarkable recovery. The viral count has dropped again to barely detectable levels, and there’s still a high concentration of antibodies circulating in his bloodstream. He doesn’t seem to have sustained any permanent lung damage, although he’s still got a slight cough due to residual inflammation. He just keeps trying to suppress it, stupid git.”

Ianto frowned and mumbled incoherently, apparently attempting to deny whatever he’d been accused of. His eyes were shut as if he couldn’t face looking directly at either Owen or Jack. 

“What about the other injuries?” Jack was leaning on the opposite wall, his hands in his trouser pockets, trying to look nonchalant, as if he wasn’t really asking if his lover was fit enough to be sent into potentially mortal danger.

“Cuts from the broken glass when you drove into a tree are healing clean, no infection. He’s got an impressive set of bruises from falling down the stairs, very colourful – they’ll be painful for a while yet, as will the soft tissue damage to his arm, but that’s on the mend as well. Luckily his skull’s almost as thick as a weevil’s, or he’d be severely concussed, instead of just suffering mild concussion.” 

“So I’m basically fit enough for this mission,” said Ianto, with a lack of emotion that worried both Owen and Jack.

“Unless I find anything else out from the blood tests, you’re as fit as you’re ever likely to be working for Torchwood.”

“That’ll be all for tonight, Owen,” stated Jack. “You can go home now. I’ll see you in the morning.”

The dismissal was unmistakable and Owen spared no time in gathering up his jacket and heading straight for the nearest exit. He paused as he heard Ianto thank him.

“You’re welcome, Ianto – see you tomorrow.”

Jack sat down next to Ianto on the sofa and taking the mug from him, he took his hand and held it carefully in the grip of his own larger hands.

“Stay with me tonight?” asked Jack tentatively. 

“Actually, I was thinking I should get home. Things to do. I need some more clothes – a suit …”

“You mad at me, Ianto?”

“No,” Ianto sighed loudly. “Not exactly. But you could have let me know what you wanted me to do.”

“Sorry?” offered Jack sheepishly.

“No you’re not – well at least not about keeping me in the dark. That was deliberate wasn’t it?”

“Yeah – but I am sorry that you’re upset-”

“Not upset, Jack. Pissed off. And don’t think I can’t guess that there’s even more that you’re keeping from me. There is, isn’t there?”

Jack couldn’t answer. He just gazed at their clasped hands, hoping that he could persuade Ianto to spend the night with him.

“It’s OK, I understand.” 

Ianto lifted his head up from the back of the sofa and, meeting Jack’s eyes for the first time since the start of the meeting in the boardroom, he leant forward to kiss him. He managed to convey, in the touch of his lips against Jack’s, that he’d forgiven him and that he needed his company as much as Jack needed his.

“So – does that mean you’ll stay?”

“Yep.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The sound of running water initially made Jack think he was out in the rain once more, until he realised that he was still in bed. Without opening his eyes, he reached out into the empty space alongside him, the place where Ianto should have been. He frowned, Ianto was obviously trying to get a shower and leave without waking him.

The previous night they had taken comfort in each other’s bodies, after slowly undressing and crawling into bed. Their love making had been intense and desperate, both men inflicting bite marks and scratches in the throes of desire, although Jack’s had healed by morning. Unfortunately, the secrets that Jack was keeping had cast a shadow between the two men and neither Jack nor Ianto had slept well. 

The steam in the shower encompassed Ianto and the sound of the water beating down on his head made him oblivious to his surroundings. He was leaning forward, his hands braced on the wall, just letting the water stream through his hair, trying to lose himself in the heat of the water as it eased the tenseness in his muscles. The first warning he had that he was no longer alone was the sudden drop in temperature as the door to the shower stall swung open and Jack moved in behind him. 

“Want company?”

“What would you do if I said no?”

“Leave I guess – although I’m really hoping the answer isn’t ‘no’.”

Ianto pushed against the wall until he was leaning back into Jack’s body, letting him know what he wanted. Jack responded immediately, wrapping his arms about Ianto’s waist drawing him closer, pulling him as close as he could, revelling in the heat emanating from his lover’s body.

They were both still tired, uneasy with the unspoken issues between them, but Jack’s hard cock pressed firmly against Ianto’s arse and his hand around Ianto’s own arousal managed to take both their minds off anything other than gratification of their physical needs. 

If anyone had wandered into Jack’s en suite bathroom they would have seen hands pressed against the inside walls of the shower cubicle, trickles of condensation running down between splayed fingers. They would have heard sighs, grunts and moans of pleasure coming faster and louder as the two lovers lost control as they neared their orgasms. The steam wrapped itself about the men, embracing them in a humid, warm, comforting blanket that protected them from the outside world and allowed them the time to provide each other with the release they needed. 

As their breathing gradually slowed back down to normal, Ianto turned into Jack’s arms, holding on tight, not wanting to let go or to leave the enclosed area that seemed to be shielding them from the day ahead. Jack gently tilted Ianto’s face upwards towards his own and captured his mouth in a deep kiss, not wanting to break the mood, unwilling to speak, for fear of signalling an end to the escape and the time for both to face the inevitable. 

It was Ianto that broke away first, reluctantly, yet always the most pragmatic of the two. He placed the palms of his hands against Jack’s smooth, muscular chest and swallowing hard, fixed him with a stern gaze that meant he wanted to talk. Jack reached behind him to turn the water off. As they moved into the chill of the bathroom, Ianto grabbed hold of Jack’s wrists and forced him to stand a few paces away from him as he spoke his mind.

“I’ve been through this before with you, Jack, but for fuck’s sake please listen to me. You know by now that I’d do anything for you – but please let me in, tell me what’s going on and what you’re planning. I can face anything as long as I know you respect me and trust me.”

“Please, Ianto, I feel bad enough about this already without you being so damn noble.”

“Just promise me that you’ll tell me the truth.”

Jack sighed heavily and pulled Ianto to his chest, tucking his head onto his shoulder and burying his face in the damp curls that dripped water down Ianto’s neck.

“Today – once the others are here, I’ll tell you all what we have to do. But … I’m scared, Ianto –”

“What of? Torchwood London coming back to life from the flames of Canary Wharf?”

“No. I’m scared that once you know what I have in mind you’re going to hate me.”


	4. Chapter 4

The boardroom table was covered with the debris of an abandoned breakfast. Pastries half eaten and cups of coffee left to go cold. Owen was staring at Jack in complete disbelief.

“So what makes you think that this elite breakaway group from Torchwood London are going to accept his application for membership?”

“They’re gonna want to have him join them,” Jack stated simply to counter Owen’s sarcasm.

“What the fuck for? No offence, Ianto mate, but from the list you drew up it looks like they’re all specialists of some sort and I really can’t see them being that desperate for someone with good barista skills.”

“No offence taken, Owen.” Ianto smiled grimly. He was also wondering what Jack had planned that was going to get him into the exclusive club of renegades from Torchwood.

As if reading his mind, Jack took a deep breath and spared Ianto a quick glance before replying to Owen.

“We’re going to let them find out that we’ve got something else they need and that Ianto is the man to get it for them.”

“Can you get any more fucking cryptic? Details please?”

“Owen’s got a point,” agreed Gwen wholeheartedly. “Any chance you could fill in the gaps for us, Jack?”

“I’m sorry,” Jack apologised, but he was reticent to put into words what he had in mind. It was just too awful. He knew that once he told his team what he was planning, they’d never look at him the same again. “I was hoping there’d be another way, but there’s not.”

“Please, Jack,” implored Ianto. “If you can’t trust us by now-”

“It’s nothing to do with trust, Ianto – really.”

“Perhaps if you explained what it was that Gates took?” Tosh was only trying to give Jack a starting point, little did she know that she was pushing him into the heart of the matter.

Jack took another slow, deep breath, licked his lower lip nervously and fixed his gaze on Ianto.

“In 1970, there was an invasion. Too big for Torchwood to tackle. UNIT dealt with it, assisted by the Doctor. An invasion by Cybermen.”

As Jack eventually named the invaders, Ianto swallowed hard and frowned as Jack’s eyes pleaded with him to understand. The others sat in awkward silence, looking at each other rather than at either of the two men at the head of the table.

“Go on.” Ianto’s voice was slightly hoarse, but it didn’t waver.

“There were weapons left behind: blaster rifles, hand pistols – a variety of energy discharge weapons. The Torchwood Institute in London took in most of the devices, including what they called a cobalt bomb. There wasn’t the technology to destroy the device – hell it was banned under the Armageddon Convention. Even back then they had the attitude that if it was alien it was theirs.”

“Shit, Jack!” exclaimed Owen. “Don’t tell me we had a bloody cyber bomb sitting in the fucking armoury?”

“No, Owen. We didn’t,” asserted Jack adamantly. “When I went into what was left of the Tower after the battle, nothing was left of the cyber weaponry except for one blaster rifle. I brought that back here. I foolishly assumed that the rest of the artefacts from the 1970 invasion had been taken into the Void, alongside the actual Cybermen themselves.”

“That wouldn’t have been possible though,” Ianto frowned. “Unless the weapons were being used, they’d have been in secure storage-”

“You think that Gates and his allies have them don’t you, Jack?” Gwen interrupted. Although her experience of Cybermen had been limited, it had terrified her.

“Yes, I do. It’s the only explanation for them wanting the final piece. That rifle may hold the key to getting the rest of the weaponry operational again.”

“Fuck. No wonder you’re shitting bricks-”

“Eloquently put, Owen – but yes, that is what’s getting to me. But there’s one thing they don’t have.”

“What’s that then, Jack?” asked Ianto.

Ianto hadn’t looked away from Jack throughout his explanations, but his mouth had become dry and he had an awful sense of foreboding, not helped by what Jack had said to him beforehand.

“A power cell. Cyber technology relies on a particular form of electrical energy. They use a type of transformer when they … when they convert people. It basically acts as a transducer, changing electrochemical energy generated in the human body into high voltage electrical current. That’s what they use to delete their enemies”

Jack shuddered as he recalled the grip about his throat, followed by the shock that wracked his body when he’d suffered deletion at the hands of the partly converted Lisa. He could see Ianto becoming paler, memories of what happened that night were being revived in all of them, especially Ianto, and he’d not got to the worst yet.

“Do we have one of those here in the Hub?” Tosh asked with undisguised curiosity, her interest in technology momentarily getting the better of her.

“Yes. In here.”

Jack pulled over an innocuous looking metal box. It had been sitting on the table in plain view of all of them from the beginning of the briefing.

“Oh my God…” muttered Tosh as it began to dawn on her what Jack had in mind.

“The Doctor disabled the weapons left behind in the 1970’s. Without the correct form of energy conversion unit, they won’t be able to get any of those devices functioning.”

“Jack – where the hell did you get that thing from?” Gwen was also getting nervous as she watched him enter a security code to disable the locking mechanism.

“Oh fuck,” muttered Owen, shutting his eyes, hoping that if he didn’t see it, it wouldn’t exist.

Jack slid open the lid and extracted a metallic object, ovoid in shape, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand. From one side, a few thread-like wires protruded. As he placed it gently onto the table, it was possible to see that the casing was dulled in places by dark brownish marks, like old blood stains.

“Jack – please don’t tell me –” Ianto’s eyes were wide now and as Owen swung his head round to monitor his reaction, he could see that Ianto was beginning to hyperventilate, his hands gripping the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles were white.

“I’m so sorry –” Jack shook his head slowly, wishing there had been a better way to break this to Ianto.

“It’s from Lisa – isn’t it?”

A resounding crash shattered the awkward silence that had descended on the boardroom. Ianto staggered to his feet, pushing his chair violently backwards into the wall as he ran from the room, a hand clasped over his mouth.

Jack made to follow him but was stopped in his tracks by Gwen.

“Leave him alone, Jack!”

Owen began to clap slowly, sarcastically applauding Jack.

“Way to go, Harkness. First off you want him to go spy on a bunch of psychos and then you tell him that what’s going to make him irresistible to Torchwood X-men just so happens to be a something you pulled out of the dead body of his cyber-girlfriend. Fucking brilliant. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a mental breakdown.”

“Go to hell, Owen!” snarled Jack as he tried to push past Gwen.

Owen joined Gwen to block Jack’s attempts to pursue Ianto. He grabbed hold of Jack’s shirt in his fists, restraining him from the front, whilst Gwen took hold of his arms from behind.

“Get out of my way! Both of you!”

Jack struggled to get past them, he could hardly believe that they were actually restraining him. Jack twisted his arms free from Gwen’s hold, desperate to get to Ianto. He had known this was going to hurt, he hadn’t counted on how fucking much it was hurting him.

“No! You need to leave him, Jack,” Owen hissed. “Let him deal with this on his own first. Right now? He doesn’t need you to see him puking his guts up –”

“Would you rather I’d lied to him? He knows the archives, he knows what’s there. If I told him that it was from any other source, he’d have known I was lying!”

“Jack – are you positive there’s no other way?” asked Tosh, who had got out of her seat and was standing by the door.

“No, Tosh, I’m not” admitted Jack. “But this stands the best chance of working.”

“Jack – I know for a fact that we incinerated every part of that bloody Cyberwoman and the conversion unit,” Owen pointed out. “You said it was too dangerous to keep any part of it, for any reason.”

“I know, Owen. But that power unit wasn’t in the body that you disposed of… it was implanted in the delivery girl’s head. It was attached to the brain-”

“Lisa’s brain?” Gwen spat the words out with disgust, realising just what Jack had done. “You sick bastard!”

“You all have to understand - we didn’t have the facilities to destroy the power unit. Not safely. I isolated it and put it into my own secure safe.”

“You opened up that poor girl’s head just to retrieve that bloody thing?” asked Owen, trying to get to grips with Jack’s actions. “For fuck’s sake, Jack, what the hell were you playing at?”

“We couldn’t dispose of that body with a lump of cybernetics in her head, hell we couldn’t dump her anywhere the state she was in. She looked like a Frankenstein project gone wrong! We had to incinerate her too and there was no way I could risk that power cell setting off a chain reaction in our furnace!”

“I’m going to see if I can find Ianto,” Tosh said quietly, having heard more than enough.

As she made her way out of the boardroom, Tosh didn’t look back. She was too disgusted at Jack to be able to look him in the face. If she had, she would have seen him struggling to keep the tears from falling.

Jack felt all his fears coming home to roost. Ianto would hate him now for sure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ianto? Are you in there?”

Tosh leaned against the door of the end stall in the communal toilet block. She had heard flushing as she’d approached and figured that she’d given Ianto time enough to try to compose himself. She hadn’t wanted to add to his pain by walking in on him whilst he was throwing up.

“Yep. You alone, Tosh?”

“Yes, Ianto. I’d ask how you are, but I guess that would be stupid.”

Tosh gently pushed the door open to see Ianto curled up in a foetal position around the toilet.

“To be honest with you, I don’t know how I’m feeling, Tosh – sick to my stomach, shocked I guess. It’s as if everything I was holding onto has just been pulled out from under me.”

Ianto shivered partly due to the cold tiled floor that he’d been curled up on and partly as a consequence of feeling very much alone. Tosh crouched down next to him and gently stroked his forehead.

“You shouldn’t have to deal with this, Ianto. Would you like me to hurt him for you?”

“I’m tempted to say yes, but I think he’ll be giving himself a hard enough time on his own.”

Tosh shook her head and left to fetch him a paper cup of water from the dispenser. Ianto sat up and gratefully took the water from her despite his shaking hands, rinsed out his mouth and spat into the toilet bowl.

“So… tell me, Tosh… have I got this right?” Ianto was having trouble putting his thoughts into words, disbelief and anger making it difficult for him to process what had just happened. “Jack wants me to walk into the enemy camp …with part of my dead girlfriend’s body as some sort of …what would you call it? Enticement? How fucked up is that?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, back in the boardroom, Jack was sitting down, agitated yet prepared to hold back for now. He was glad that Tosh had gone to find Ianto. She would probably be of more comfort to him than he would.

“Gwen – that policeman – when can you bring him in?”

“Evans?” Gwen was confused, she had no idea what Jack was up to. “I called earlier - I can go fetch him now if you want. I take it that this is also part of your cunning plan?”

“Yes – just do your job, Gwen and let me do mine. Owen, go with her. You both know the drill.”

“Standard procedure – straight to the interrogation room?”

“Yes, Owen and let me know the minute you get back.” Jack stood up and, sighing heavily, he made it clear that they were dismissed and he had business to attend to.

“Now I really need to talk to Ianto.”


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as they got Evans into the SUV, Gwen and Owen cuffed him and blindfolded him. He was kept him that way until they had him seated in the interview room. It struck Gwen that they’d not used that room since Jack had questioned the sleeper agent, Beth. The room was no less gloomy now than it was then thought Gwen, although she was much less bothered about the comfort of this wretch than she had been about Beth. She’d had a connection with that poor woman, she could empathise with her. However, she had no sympathy whatsoever for a copper that not only sold information, but whose actions had resulted in the abduction of Ianto. As she stared at the man sitting opposite her, she felt no compassion at all; his actions would no doubt have resulted in Ianto’s death if Owen and Jack hadn’t found him in time. 

“You can’t do this to me. I’m not saying anything without seeing my solicitor. I still have rights!” yelled Evans as Owen removed the blindfold. 

Looking around to take in his surroundings, Evans got a good look at the two who had picked him up from the police station. He’d seen both of them at the Llanrhiddian Hotel. He’d known the man was Torchwood, but he’d been fooled by the woman – she’d taken him in. He wondered if her ‘husband’ was also Torchwood.

Under the belligerent act of bravado, Gwen could tell that Evans was scared, and she didn’t care. 

“Rights? Not here you don’t. The minute we brought you down that lift you ceased to exist,” explained Gwen, her voice cold and detached. “If you want to see daylight again you’d better start talking. I want details, names, dates, phone numbers, locations … the more you give me, the more chance you have of getting out of here with your memories intact.” 

Gwen was surprised that she could sound so hard, so ‘Torchwood’. However, having borne witness to the lengths that Jack was prepared to go to, in order to deal with the threat they faced, she could only feel contempt for the small town copper sweating in front of her.

Behind her, Owen leaned nonchalantly against the opposite wall. He’d pulled out a hypodermic syringe from the pocket of his jacket and removed the cap that covered the needle. He held the syringe up to the light and made a show of slowly depressing the plunger until a drop of viscous yellow fluid oozed from the tip of the wide bore needle.

“Right, I’m ready whenever you are.” Owen pushed himself away from the wall and took a seat next to Gwen. He placed the syringe on the table between them. 

“You sure about that, Owen?” Gwen pointed at the syringe. “That’s the strongest dose isn’t it?”

“Yeah – but I think we might be needing it,” replied Owen, shrugging as if he had no qualms about using the drug on Evans.

“OK then, let’s hope you don’t need to use it. Right then.” Gwen started the recording machine. “Let’s start with -”

However, before Gwen could finish asking her first question, there was a sudden commotion in the hallway outside. Loud voices could be heard and they all turned at the sound of a well-built body slamming into the door to the room in which they sat. The whole thing rattled on its hinges, causing Gwen to turn round in alarm and Owen to frown.

“What the fuck was that?” demanded Evans, convinced he was hearing another prisoner being mistreated at the hands of ‘bloody Torchwood’.

“Ignore it. Nothing to do with you.” Owen tapped on the table and looked to Gwen prompting her to continue.

Evans could make out two voices. One was definitely American and the other was Welsh. The argument was becoming more heated and from his experience of dealing with brawls in pubs, he guessed that what he was hearing were the sounds of two men beating the crap out of each other. His instincts also told him that his two would-be interrogators were unsettled, despite their unsuccessful attempts to ignore the fight. The woman, in particular, couldn’t stop glancing towards the door, and then she’d close her eyes for a moment as if trying to compose herself. Whatever was going on out there was clearly troubling her.

_“…fucking bastard … how could you?”_

_“…I didn’t have any damn choice!”_

_“... a power cell? … cyber technology! You still had it – after all this time!”_

“ _… I never meant for this to happen…”_

_“… are you trying to push me away?”_

_“…you only have yourself to blame! If you hadn’t….”_

The accusations came to an abrupt end as one of the men was shoved hard against the door to the interrogation room. 

_“Get the fuck off of me …”_

More scuffling noises followed and then the unmistakable sound of a fist connecting with a jaw. This was quickly accompanied by a sickening crunch and then the door flew open. 

Evans was taken aback to see the two men he’d followed in the Gower literally at each other’s throats. The younger man was now dressed in a dark suit that was torn at the shoulder. There was blood trickling from a cut to his lower lip and he had an expression of absolute hatred on his face. Interesting, thought Evans, last time he’d seen those two together at the hotel it was obvious they’d been shagging each other. He remembered it distinctly – he’d been pissed off that the two of them together proved such a turn on for his girlfriend Bethan. 

Before he could get a good look at the American, his two interrogators had dashed to the door. They bundled the two men out of the room, holding them apart as best they could. 

“Gwen! Get the fuck back in there and keep an eye on that piece of shit!” 

Evans heard the wide-mouthed man, Owen, yell at the woman before she came back into the room, the door slamming shut behind her. But Evans could still hear what was being said outside, despite the men’s attempts to talk quietly. 

“What the hell do you two think you’re doing? You stupid fucking arseholes! We’ve got that fucking copper in there – he’s heard everything,”

“Just retcon him and let him go. There’s no fucking point anymore.”

“Yes, Captain. Waste our fucking time why don’t you? Fine, I’ll do it. Saves us interrogating the little shit I s’pose.”

Owen returned to the room a few minutes later, holding a cup of water. 

“Here – give him this. He’s probably thirsty, don’t want to be ignoring his human rights, do we?” Owen grinned at Evans. “I need to go and try to stop those two killing each other.”

“Good luck with that,” replied Gwen.

Evans had heard all about how Torchwood wiped memories and he figured that they were going to try it on with him. But he also was certain that what he’d just heard would pay for more than just a few gambling debts. He thought fast, knowing that there was no way he could afford to let them drug him. Evans could see that the woman was flustered, obviously upset at the fight between their boss and his bit on the side. Desperate to save his memories and cash in on what he’d overheard, Evans knew he had to distract her.

“Seeing as how your mate just acknowledged my human rights, is there any chance of using a toilet? I’m busting for a piss.”

“Drink this first.” 

Gwen pushed the cup of water towards Evans and then turned her back on him so that she could peer out of the door, as if anxious to find out what was going on. Not believing his luck, Evans picked up the cup between his cuffed hands and tipped it over, letting most of it spill to the floor and some of it land in his lap. 

“Oh fuck! I told you I needed to use a toilet – I’ve only gone and pissed myself!” Evans figured he’d rather deal with these Torchwood shits laughing at him for that rather than wiping his mind and then laughing at him. This way he reckoned he stood a good chance of making something out of their boss blurting out Torchwood secrets and he’d get to keep his memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did he go for it?” asked Jack, looking up from his desk.

“Hook, line and sinker.”

Owen stood in the doorway, reluctant to get caught in the crossfire of glares being exchanged between Jack and Ianto. The atmosphere was on the chilly side of glacial.

“Gwen’s tracking him now. Think I might keep her company.”

“Good, you do that, Owen.” Jack dismissed Owen, his voice ominously low and lacking in emotion.

As Owen left the office, Jack tentatively touched his jaw and winced. There was a bruise on his chin. He couldn’t help but feel that he’d deserved it. 

“You didn’t pull your punches,” moaned Jack.

“No – and I’m not sorry.”

“I didn’t mean what I said-”

“I did,” countered Ianto.

“I don’t blame you,” conceded Jack.

“I think I’d better go home.”

The clipped sentences were exchanged with the dying remnants of anger and frustration. They maintained eye contact throughout and knowing what they knew, the looks softened and the sharpness dulled. 

“Not staying tonight?” Jack seemed thrown by Ianto’s suggestion. 

“Not if there’s any chance that we’re being watched.” Ianto shrugged as if to imply that he didn’t want to leave.

“I guess not.” Disappointment was evident in Jack’s response.

Ianto stood up and turned away from Jack, but before he could walk away, Jack grasped hold of his hand and tugged him gently back.

“Please? A little longer?”

“I should go now. I need some time to think. Some time alone.”

“I see.” Jack let go of Ianto’s hand, the dejection evident in his voice. “I knew you’d end up hating me.”

“I don’t hate you, Jack – but I do need a bit of space right now.”

Standing up, Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto and pulled him close, not wanting to let him go, yet knowing he had no choice, especially after what he’d put him through.

“Jack?” asked Ianto, suddenly realising that transport was going to be an issue. “Would I be right in thinking my car’s not been replaced yet? It was a right off, yes?”

“Oh shit. I meant to deal with that – I forgot all about it! Let me give you a lift-”

Ianto sighed.

“Surveillance, Jack. We can’t be seen together now, not outside the Hub. It’s alright, I’ll walk. Could do with some fresh air.”

“Call me when you get home? Please?”

“Why? You worried about me?”

“Believe it or not, yes. I am worried about you.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This update contains a fairly explicit scene, towards the end of the chapter.

Ianto began to wish he’d taken up Tosh’s offer of a lift home. It was dark and cold, and the streets were still wet from an earlier downpour. The branches of the trees, planted along the streets, swayed drunkenly in the strong wind, casting terrifying shadows in the streetlight. He pulled up the collar of his coat, but it made little difference to the chill that was causing him to shiver. 

He was being followed. He’d heard footsteps continue even after he’d turned off the main road and when he stopped, ostensibly to check his phone, the footsteps also stopped. One set, so at least it was only one person following him. 

Ianto didn’t know if he should let them find out where he lived. That may have been part of Jack’s strategy, but if it was he hadn’t told him yet. But then again, Jack still seemed reluctant to part with more than the minimal details of his plan. Either he didn’t trust his team or he was making it up as he went along. Ianto wasn’t sure which option bothered him the most. 

Intending to evade his unwelcome shadow, Ianto slipped into the nearest alley and clambered over the back fence of a garden. As his feet hit the soft grass, he really hoped there wasn’t a large dog kept in the yard, which would be just his luck. Fortunately, his presence didn’t result in any barking or snarling teeth. Waiting, hunched up behind the rotting wood panels, he listened as the footsteps grew closer, then pause. He held his breath, concentrating on not making any sound whatsoever.

After a short while, the footsteps moved on and Ianto dared to breathe again. He decided to stay put for a few minutes longer, hoping that his pursuer would assume he’d gone into one of the houses on that street and be watching from the front. Then he hoisted himself over the fence and back into the alleyway, before making his way to his own house. He realised he’d left the Hub more than two hours ago and Jack would probably be thinking that he’d not called because he was still pissed off with him. But he knew he had to move quietly and not draw any attention to himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack felt impotent, sitting at his desk fiddling with his phone, waiting to hear from Ianto. It would have taken him just over an hour to walk home from the Bay. Tosh told him that she’d offered Ianto a lift, but he’d refused, the stubborn idiot. It had now been hours since he’d left and not a word, not even a text. 

Evans had left five hours previously – time enough for any calls he made to his paymasters to have been acted upon. It occurred to Jack, belatedly, that Ianto was already in danger. He wanted to call him – warn him, if it wasn’t too late.

“Damn!” he cursed, no longer sure what to do. If Ianto wasn’t alone, any call from him would only arouse suspicion and could possibly endanger him more. But Jack had to make sure that he was safe.

He was startled by his phone ringing. He was relieved to see that the caller id showed that it was Ianto.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto stood in his darkened front room, looking carefully through a gap in the curtains, checking to see if there was anything out of place, anything unusual. Any sign that he’d not lost his tracker.

Jack sounded frantic on the other end of the line – demanding to know if he was alright.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just got home.” Ianto could hear the relief in Jack’s voice, yet knew he had to explain why it had taken him so long to get home. “Had company.” 

“Yep, I was followed, but I think I managed to lose them. Yes – that’s what took the time.”

Ianto rolled his eyes as Jack kept seeking reassurance that he was safe. 

“I sound tense? Jack! It’s freezing cold outside and I’m wet through. I just need to get warm and dry. Look, I’ll see you in the morning.” 

Ianto terminated the call abruptly, before Jack became even more concerned. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Ianto hung up on him, Jack eventually went to bed, despite not feeling in the least bit tired. He just needed to get away from his desk and felt that maybe if he could sleep for an hour or two, he’d be in a better frame of mind to deal with what he had to tackle in the morning.

He was alerted by the sound of the hatchway to his sleeping quarters creaking as it was opened. Reaching for his Webley, Jack watched as the intruder’s legs slid over the edge and onto the rungs of the ladder. Legs he’d recognise anywhere. 

“Ianto?”

“I’d ask ‘who else’, but I’m not sure I’d like the answer.”

Jack chuckled softly. It had been a long time since anyone but Ianto had joined him in his sleeping quarters in the Hub. It occurred to him that maybe he should tell Ianto that.

“What are you -?”

“Shhh…no more talking.”

Jack smiled and watched as Ianto slowly undressed in the semi-darkness: quickly, but efficiently, folding each item of clothing carefully and placing it on the chair in the corner. The only light in the room was that filtering down from the open hatchway above, the desk light casting a warm glow in the office, which encroached furtively into the bunker below. 

There was just enough light for Jack to make out the contours of Ianto’s naked body, but not enough to see his face, to fathom the mood he was in. The sight of Ianto disrobing slowly and meticulously never failed to arouse him. But not quite as much as the sight of him stalking across the room, his movements speaking fully of his intent. 

Jack felt Ianto moving the blankets to one side as he leant down over him. He then gasped in shock as he felt Ianto’s cold lips and tongue gently tease his already hard cock. He wanted to reach out and pull Ianto closer to him, wanted to warm him up, but his attempts to do that were resisted. 

“Shhh…”

It occurred to Jack that he was to have no say in what happened next, so he allowed Ianto to take the lead – slowly and gently at first, lips and mouth warming gradually as they licked, suckled and caressed his cock. Breath that had been cool on his bed-warmed skin warming up as the heat was transferred from his body to that of his lover. Then the feel of chilly, slicked fingers breeching him, unhurriedly to begin with and then more forcefully, the dual sensations making any conscious thoughts fall to the wayside. Feeling his climax build up to the point where it seemed as if it would tear him apart with its intensity, he felt bereft as Ianto let him fall from his mouth, swiping the tip of his leaking cock with the flat of his tongue. 

Groaning at the denial of release, Jack watched as Ianto crept up his body with all the stealth of a predator. As he drew closer, Jack could make out, in the darkness, a wicked smile and eyes shining with lust. Grasping hold of Jack’s legs, Ianto had his body bent just the way he wanted it as he pressed the head of his own cock against Jack’s entrance, then filled him completely in a single thrust. Jack groaned as powerful reactions coursed through his body, ruthlessly taking him to the edge and then throwing him over into an abyss of pleasure. He was painfully aware of Ianto thrusting into him harder and harder, the earlier gentleness of the lovemaking now replaced by fierce fucking. He was at Ianto’s mercy and he loved it. Coming hard across his own sweaty abdomen, Jack felt Ianto shudder as he came deep inside him. 

Ianto collapsed onto Jack’s chest, breathing heavily, no longer cold, but hot and damp with sweat. After kissing Jack softly on the mouth he whispered huskily into his ear:

“Just so you know. Not all decisions are yours to make. There are times when all you can do is react.”

“Does this mean you’re not mad at me anymore?” Jack had wrapped his arms around Ianto. He realised that Ianto wasn’t just forgiving him, but placing in him a trust he wasn’t sure he deserved. 

“In case you missed it – that was make-up sex.” Ianto gently bit Jack’s neck, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Maybe I’ll need a repeat to make sure?”

“I should probably get a shower-”

“Oh no you don’t, not yet. You’re not going anywhere right now.” Jack tightened his grip on Ianto. It was still early and there was no way he was going to let Ianto out of his bed unless the rift alarms went off. 

“I’m hot, sweaty and probably smelly now-” Ianto tried to sound indignant, but failed miserably. He was as reluctant to leave the warmth of Jack’s embrace as the other mans was to release him from it. 

“Yes, but you’re _my_ hot, sweaty, smelly Welshman.” 

“Yours?” chuckled Ianto, picking up on the possessiveness in Jack’s statement.

“Yeah – mine.”

Jack smiled as the thought sprung to mind that he was falling more and more in love with Ianto. He was so much more than anyone else on the team realised.


	7. Chapter 7

Even though he had the prospect of millennia ahead of him, Jack hated the fact that the time spent with people he loved was destined to run faster than time he’d be alone. It made no difference how hard Jack wanted time to slow down, how much he wanted it to actually stand still and allow him the opportunity to make the most of the warm body curled around his in the narrow bed. He was unimpressed. He’d have to talk to the Doctor about this when next they met. The irony of him wanting more time was made only the more painful by the certain knowledge that Ianto’s time was limited and that the mission he was about to embark on would put his life in even more danger.

Jack turned the digital alarm clock over and defied it to stop him from slowly making love to the man in his arms. With each kiss and every caress, he conveyed his feelings in ways that words always failed him.

Time that morning had passed by only too rapidly and before long Jack found himself sitting at his desk looking up at Ianto who was carrying a tray laden with mugs of coffee and pastries. He had to admit to being hungry and at least they’d have the chance to share breakfast before the others turned up. Reaching out to grab a pain au chocolat, he bit into it enthusiastically, with the result being a cascade of flaky crumbs and splatters of melted chocolate landing on unread correspondence from UNIT. He tried to look suitably abashed as Ianto placed a small plate under the errant pastry. 

Ianto smiled indulgently at Jack as he perched on the edge of the desk, nursing a large mug of dark coffee. It was good to see him smile, he’d been scowling far too much recently. He tore off a piece of croissant and delicately placed it between his lips, showing Jack that it was possible to eat a pastry without getting it everywhere.

“So - tell me about last night. I want details. When did you notice you were being followed? Did you see anyone?” Jack paused to take a sip of his coffee before adding one more question to the list. “And did you really walk all the way across town in the early hours of the morning just to ravish me?”

“It wasn’t until I left the main road that I noticed them. When I got away from traffic I could hear their footsteps. Shoes, not boots or trainers, too noisy. I nipped into an alleyway and climbed into a back garden to lose them. I caught sight of one of them through a gap in the fence. Heavy-set, dark leather jacket, gloves … leather gloves. Creepy looking –”

“Sound kinda sinister.” Jack looked up at Ianto, detecting the uneasiness that seemed to have settled on him. “You sure you gave them the slip?” 

“Yeah – when I left the house this morning, there was no one around. The cat from across the road was sat outside my front door – it’s easily spooked. It wouldn’t have been there if there was anyone sneaking around.”

“OK – good, I’m glad they didn’t find your home. So, tell me, Ianto Jones, just what brought you to my bed at such an early hour of the day? I know I’m hard to resist, but-”

“You only have yourself to blame for that – exuding those bloody pheromones like there’s no tomorrow.” 

They exchanged a smile and then Ianto became serious. 

“I couldn’t sleep, just couldn’t shut down. I needed to see you, let you know that I don’t blame you. Not really. I understand that what we deal with has to override personal considerations -”

“I’d never do anything to deliberately hurt you, Ianto. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yep, I know that you don’t mean it to happen. It’s just that with my history and your duty, my feelings are bound to get caught in the crossfire sooner or later. I can’t deny it hurts. I can’t pretend that the fact that you had part of Lisa… part of the cyber…” He paused to rally his emotions that were now all over the place, rubbing a hand through his hair he just blurted out: “It’s all a bit of a mindfuck to be honest.”

Jack put down his coffee and then stood next to Ianto, pulling him close and holding him tight to his chest.

“If there was any other way-”

“I know. You’re right though – as director of Torchwood, you made the right call.” Ianto emphasised the word ‘director’ to let Jack know that he really did understand his position. “It’s definitely got the attention of these bastards.”

“Thank you.” Jack stroked Ianto’s hair, uncertain who he was trying to comfort.

“And, at the end of the day, their activities in London were the cause of what happened to Lisa, along with all the others. We have to stop them.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Tosh and Owen came in – together, Jack noticed with a wry smile on his face – he had them concentrate their efforts on the communication device that Tosh had been developing. 

Gwen was assigned to following the movements of Evans from the moment she had escorted him to the front of the Millennium Centre the previous day. 

Ianto and Jack were cloistered away in the office working through the fine details of how to run the undercover operation. Jack wanted to make sure they had contingency plans for every possible scenario that Ianto may face, even though the mere thought of some of them was making him more and more agitated. It didn’t help that Ianto had such a natural talent for pessimism. 

“Oh my god!” Gwen shouted out to anyone in hearing distance.

“What is it, Gwen?” Jack called down to her, his patience wearing thin.

“It’s Evans – he’s dead –”

Jack looked back at Ianto and bit his lip. The fact that their enemy had no qualms about killing those that worked for them didn’t bode well.

“What happened?” Ianto called out as he ran down the stairs and crossed the Hub to stand behind Gwen, looking over her shoulder at the monitor.

“Hit and run, outside the St David’s centre last night. Oh my god, this is our fault, Jack! That man is dead because of us-”

“Leave it out, Gwen,” Owen interrupted. “Have you forgotten that it was because of him that Jack and Ianto got run off the road? Evans got himself involved with murderers long before we’d even heard of him.”

“But, Owen – we set him up!”

“Drop it, Gwen,” added Tosh. “We are not to blame, he brought this on himself.” 

Gwen was taken aback by Tosh’s unsympathetic stance, until she recalled exactly how she had felt about Evans when she’d brought him in for questioning. She sighed heavily, knowing all too well that she’d have to hold it in until she saw Rhys later. He’d listen to her.

“Gwen – can you access details on the car that ran him over? Anything on the driver?” Ianto tried to get Gwen to focus, pointing at the screen as he requested answers to simple questions.

“Hang on,” replied Gwen as she pulled up the relevant files concerning the crime. “Eye witness accounts said it was a blue Ford Mondeo. Here are the CCTV captures that confirm that.” 

“The driver? Can you zoom in?” 

Gwen shook her head as the urgency of Ianto’s voice broke through her misgivings about Evan and concentrated on processing the blurred image as best she could. Perhaps Tosh could do a better job later she thought, as she zoomed into the portion of the image centred on the windscreen and adjusted the contrast to eliminate the glare of lights on the glass. 

The still image of the fast-moving car gave little away and the driver was conveniently wearing a dark balaclava. But Ianto swallowed hard as he noticed the drivers’ hands on the steering wheel – he was wearing leather gloves. He swore under his breath, but not so quietly that Jack didn’t notice his reaction.

_“Fuck.”_


	8. Chapter 8

While Tosh and Owen focused on equipping Ianto for his undercover mission, Jack and Gwen took it in turns to monitor the Plass and Mermaid Quay for any signs of the man who had followed Ianto the previous day. The man they now knew was also responsible for the cold-blooded murder of PC Evans. 

When she spotted someone whose features matched those of the driver of the Mondeo, it had been Gwen’s first instinct to get uniformed officers to arrest him. But Jack’s insistence that she looked to the ‘big picture’ stopped her from doing that. She alerted Jack who joined her in their surveillance of the area.

The man that Gwen had identified, had taken a seat at a table outside the Millennium Centre café. He was ostensibly reading a newspaper, a cup of coffee left untouched. After a short while, he was joined by a man with very pale blonde hair. Every so often, one or other of them would send or receive a text message. The first man then nodded and pointed in the direction of the Bay. Pulling up the view of Mermaid Quay, Jack could see another man, leaning against the wall, staring at the entrance to the Tourist Information Office.

The increased activity made Jack more nervous, they were showing every sign of getting ready to make a move. The fact that there appeared to be at least three of them made him even more anxious. He just hoped that Ianto was ready. Once he set the afternoon’s plan in action it could be a while before he saw Ianto again. ‘If ever’, it occurred to him with a jolt. They had to make sure nothing went wrong. There was too much at stake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto was in pain. A lot of pain. His ear was throbbing and there was the uncomfortable sensation as if something was burrowing into his skull.

“You sure this is meant to hurt like this, Owen?” winced Ianto, sounding slightly panicky. 

It hadn’t been that long since Ianto had experienced a near miss with the singularity scalpel and he had a healthy distrust of alien tech. The doctor was holding a swab to his neck, catching the trickle of blood from where he’d made the incision behind Ianto’s right ear. 

“Stop being a wimp. I did tell you it was going to hurt a bit. It’ll stop once it’s finished forging connections with your aural nerve.”

“If that’s meant to be reassuring,” Ianto muttered between clenched teeth. “Please don’t bother trying.”

“Don’t worry, Ianto. Owen’s right, it won’t hurt for much longer,” said Tosh in a soothing voice. “Once the interface has been established the pain will stop.” 

Tosh could tell that her attempt to calm Ianto down had backfired as she saw his complexion become even paler than normal. 

“Hang on – you never mentioned anything about it interfacing with the nervous system!” exclaimed Ianto, glaring at Tosh. “That’s what…oh shit… Tosh, this is cyber tech isn’t it? For fuck’s sake get it out of me! Now! Owen! Do something!”

Ianto tried to push his way off the exam table as he tore at his head, but found both Tosh and Owen holding him back.

“No! It’s not cyber tech at all,” insisted Tosh. “It just works in a similar way. Please, Ianto, trust me. I wouldn’t do that to you.” 

Tosh regretted her earlier decision not to fully explain the type of technology she was utilising. Jack had tried to warn her about Ianto’s possible reaction. She lightly held Ianto’s upper arms and gave him as open and as reassuring smile as she could summon. 

“I assembled the electronic components. The miniaturised antenna and microphone are borrowed from UNIT research labs. I’ve just adapted the neural connection components to allow you to receive audio that will be undetectable to anyone nearby.”

Ianto tried to act calmer than he felt. It still sounded suspiciously like cyber technology to him and he was having a harder time dealing with that than he was willing to let on to any of them. 

“How’s the pain?” Owen asked, concerned at the grimace on Ianto’s face. “Should be wearing off by now.”

“It’s not so bad now-you were right,” conceded Ianto. “Explain to me again, Tosh, how is this thing going to work?”

“It’s organic, not metallic. So it’s undetectable by X-rays or regular scanners. Owen inserted the main part into your ear snugly against the cartilage so it appears to be part of your ear.”

Ianto tentatively felt the area with his fingertips and had to felt only the slightest of bulges indicating the presence of something that hadn’t been there earlier. 

“There’s a baroreceptor near the surface, sensitive to pressure. It’s connected to a switch so that you can decide whether or not you want us to hear everything you’re saying or hearing. I’ve adjusted it so that you’ll have to press quite hard -”

“You might want to remember that when you’re shagging the boss or using the toilet,” Owen said with a wide grin.

Owen could tell from the double death glares that his attempts of humour were not appreciated by either Ianto or Tosh. Deciding not to push his luck, Owen focused on sealing the incision site as invisibly as possible, making the line look as if it was a crease behind Ianto’s ear. 

“It should receive signals that the neural connectors will transmit to your brain, which it will decipher as speech from us. The microphone element will detect sounds at your end, whether you’re speaking or being spoken to and then send those signals back to our receiver. There’s also an option for private exchanges -” 

“So you and Jack can whisper sweet nothings to each other without the rest of us getting nauseous.” 

“Piss off, Owen,” Ianto rolled his eyes in irritation, however, he could see distinct advantages to being able to communicate directly with Jack and not the whole of the team.

“As long as you’re in range, the transceiver software on the mainframe will allow us to keep in touch.”

“What do you mean by ‘in range’?” asked Ianto, concerned by Tosh’s statement. “What exactly is its range?”

“Well, to be honest it is a bit limited. But we can track the residual signal as long as the device is operational, even if we can’t actually speak with you.”

“Right. When you say limited, what do you mean? Metres? Miles?”

“Distance-wise, I’m not sure yet as I haven’t taken it that far,” Tosh explained, trying to sound positive, although from the expression on Ianto’s face, she wasn’t succeeding. “But I’ve built a portable transceiver as well, so we can follow in the SUV if necessary.”

“Great – let’s hope you don’t lose me in traffic then.”

“Don’t worry about that, mate – if Jack is driving, he’ll just go over anything that’s in his way.”

“Thanks, Owen – yet again, immensely reassuring,” replied Ianto, before turning his attention back to Tosh. “What about walls blocking the signal? Will it work alright indoors, from, let’s say, a secret underground lair?”

“I’ve successfully tested it from the Plass to the lower levels of the cells, but not down to the vaults. So as long as you don’t decide to go deep underground it should work just fine.” 

Tosh paused and then smiled broadly, one of those smiles that people wear when they realise that they have put their foot in it and hope no one has noticed. 

Ianto closed his eyes, knowing that Tosh had just tempted fate and it was his misfortune to be its bait.

“I really wish you hadn’t said that.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Owen had finished closing up the wound and Ianto had changed into a fresh shirt – one without a blood stained collar, they set out to test the device. Ianto quickly got the hang of switching the device on and off after shocking Tosh with an earful of particularly colourful invective after nearly stepping into a steaming heap of pteranodon droppings. 

Although the transceiver seemed to be functioning well enough, Tosh was concerned at the weakness of the signal when Ianto ventured into the lower vaults. However, despite her perfectionist streak, she had to accept that there wasn’t time to do anything to boost the signal before Jack wanted Ianto to set off on his mission. 

“How about this? Can you hear me now?” 

“Too loud, Tosh – that’s painful!” Ianto yelped, drawing Tosh’s attention back to the task in hand.

“Sorry.” 

Tosh made the final adjustments to the device, ensuring that the volume they transmitted at would be converted to a signal of sufficient amplitude that Ianto could hear them without being deafened. She twisted her chair around to look across as Ianto and Owen walked towards her from the direction of the autopsy bay.

Before any of them had the chance to say a word, Jack came out of his office and leant over the railings to yell at them.

“OK, kids, if you’ve finished testing that damn thing, it looks like it’s time for the next phase.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto stormed out of the Tourist Office entrance first, heading for the Plass. Jack came out moments later, chasing after him. 

Tosh and Owen were already in the SUV, just in case, the transceiver perched on the dashboard in front of them. Meanwhile, Gwen had taken the lift to the Plass ready to take her cue and move in when required.

As Jack caught up with Ianto, he roughly grabbed hold of him by the arm.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Jack shouted. 

“As far away as I fucking can from this amateur set up!” snarled Ianto, wrenching his arm out of Jack’s grip.

“You don’t get to walk out on me!”

“Just watch me! And don’t even think of coming after me – I can make sure you never find me.”

“Don’t be so sure about that, Ianto Jones. You don’t really want to leave -”

“Yes, I do! I’ve been through enough fucking shit in the past few weeks – and what for? It was a bloody mistake coming here in the first place. The rumours were all true - you’re just a jumped up, fucking lothario, screwing your way through your employees one by one-” 

“How dare you?!”

It was at that moment that Gwen rushed across to intervene.

“Ianto – please love, don’t do this!” Gwen appealed to him directly, reaching out a hand that was brusquely pushed away.

“It’s OK, Gwen – he’s all yours now. Have fun, but don’t expect him to be there for you!” 

“Ianto – you don’t mean that. I have Rhys now – we’re married!”

“For fuck’s sake, Gwen! That never bothered you before, why should it now?” 

“Ianto – I’m warning you!” Jack was advancing on Ianto now, his physical presence dominating the younger man. 

“Easy, Jack – I’m leaving! You can stuff your fucking job. I’ve had it!”

“Ianto – calm down, sweetheart, you’re making a scene.” Gwen tried to get between the two men, but found herself jostled to one side by Jack.

Jack shoved Ianto up against the nearest lamppost and looked straight into his eyes. From a distance, it looked as if he was furious and bystanders gave the men a wide berth, anticipating a violent fight to break out at any moment. Gwen was closer and could see that Jack was blinking rapidly, not wanting to let tears fall. He hoped that Ianto could read what his eyes were telling him.

“Then fuck off!” Jack spat the words out between clenched teeth. “But you'd better make sure I never see you around here again!” 

“I’ll come back and get my stuff when you’re busy then!” Ianto glared at Gwen meaningfully. He then straightened his suit jacket, turned and walked briskly towards the nearest pub. 

Gwen took hold of Jack’s arm and pulled him into a hug, knowing just how much he was hurting inside. 

Meanwhile, Ianto made his way through the crowd of lunchtime drinkers, his heart beating fast and his head spinning. He stopped short of the bar as he heard a voice in his ear. Jack’s voice, breaking with emotion and choked as if he was trying not to cry. 

_“Take care. Make sure you come back to me.”_


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dialogue here has been changed from the original - there were some continuity issues I didn't spot until re-editing!  
> I think this is better than it was originally. Should be able to post a chapter a day, hopefully.

Leaning heavily on the bar, Ianto ordered another whisky. The barman gave him a wary look, he recognised the look of a man wanting to drink himself into oblivion and didn’t want any trouble.

“You OK, mate?”

Ianto knocked back the short in a few gulps, savouring the burning sensation in his throat. It distracted him from the thoughts plaguing him. He wasn’t just worried about the imminent meeting he was likely to have with the men who’d been stalking him. He was also brooding on what had been said between him and Jack outside. The plan was to make the fight seem personal, not just professional, so they’d dragged Gwen in deliberately. However, the old arguments they’d resurrected still had the power to wound; he’d seen that in Jack’s eyes, heard it in his voice. 

“Fine – just fetch me another, please.” 

He’d been at the bar for just over half an hour when he was eventually approached. A good looking man, with pale blond hair, took a seat at the bar next to him. A man he immediately recognised as Nick Morgan. Ianto admired the expensive looking suit that the man wore under a fine woollen overcoat that was probably Italian. However, he smelt of cheap aftershave, which made Ianto wrinkle his nose in disgust. He’d been spoilt by the Jack’s natural scent, which never faded or grew stale. 

“Can I get you a drink?” Morgan pointed at the empty glass with a well-manicured finger, drawing Ianto’s attention to the Rolex watch and chunky gold ring. The man exuded opulence in an ostentatious manner that wasn’t attractive to him at all. 

“No thank you. I’ll get my own if it’s all the same to you,” Ianto replied, taking another twenty pound note from his wallet.

“I’ll see if I can change your mind. Jones isn’t it?”

“That’s not a very original pick up line in a bar in Cardiff,” Ianto rolled his eyes, although it wasn’t surprising that Morgan knew his name at all. “Not interested.”

Morgan ignored Ianto and bought himself a gin and tonic. Taking a sip from his drink, he turned once more to stare at Ianto. 

“Oh, Mr Jones, I think you will be interested in what I have to offer you. Can I call you Ianto?” 

“What the hell are you doing here, Morgan? I left London behind for a reason.”

“It’s been a project of mine. Keeping an eye on all of you. The ones that survived the battle.” Morgan spoke softly. “You’ve been the most difficult to track.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ianto hadn’t been surprised that Morgan knew who he was, but he was alarmed by the news that he’d been on his radar since the fall of Torchwood London. 

“You could say my project is a sort of Canary Wharf survivors club– sure you don’t want that drink now?” 

Morgan reached out to take Ianto’s glass, slowly moistening his lips with the tip of his tongue as he watched his prey react. He couldn’t help but think that Jones looked much better in the flesh than he recalled from having seen him in passing at Torchwood One. He was looking forward to recruiting him.

“OK,” sighed Ianto. “I’ll have another whisky.”

Morgan gestured at the barman to refill Ianto’s glass. 

“One thing I always thought was odd – you were the only one to approach Harkness for a job. Out of all the survivors, only you decided to come to Cardiff. That’s strange don’t you think?”

“I’m Welsh,” explained Ianto, as if Morgan had missed that fact. “Made sense to return to Cardiff.” 

“But why work for Harkness?”

“I had my reasons.”

“Yes, we know more about those than you’d believe. I heard your girlfriend was one of the dead. Louise wasn’t it? That must have been tough.” 

“Lisa. Her name was Lisa. I’d rather not talk about it.” Ianto’s voice caught in his throat, but he took comfort from Jack’s words of solace in his ear: _Take it easy there - don’t let him get to you …he’s deliberately baiting you._ “

“Oh, I bet you don’t. Anyway, that’ll wait,” Morgan muttered ominously. “I hear on the grapevine that all isn’t going well for you down here. Thought I might be able to offer you an alternative.”

“I very much doubt it,” snapped Ianto. “I’ve had enough of Torchwood and everything it stands for.”

“Are you sure?” Morgan raised an eyebrow. “Come on – let’s go get something to eat. Give me a chance to persuade you.”

“Are you asking me out to dinner?”

“Would that bother you?” Morgan shrugged. “I heard you were flexible.”

“Yeah – but you’re not my type,” Ianto shook his head. “Thanks for the drink, but I’m really not interested. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a piss.” 

Ianto got up and made his way to the gents toilets at the back of the bar. He knew he’d be followed, he just needed to break away long enough to murmur a message to Jack.

_“There is no way I am shagging that tosser.”_

_“I should hope not. Remember – you’re mine.”_

_“Never going to forget that.”_

_“Take care – he’s dangerous!”_

As Ianto turned away from the urinal and started to wash his hands, the door swung open and two men walked in. Both wore leather jackets and gloves. They were followed by Morgan.

“Like I said before, you’re not my type – and I don’t fancy your mates either, I don’t go for the leather thing. Nice gloves though.” 

Ianto wiped his hands dry on a paper towel and tossed it in the direction of the bin. Meanwhile, the reaction he heard in his head confirmed that his choice of words had informed Jack of exactly what was going on.

_“Leather gloves? Ianto! Get out of there now! Get back in the bar!”_

Morgan just smiled at Ianto. One of the leather clad men stood by the door, blocking entry or exit, whilst the other moved towards Ianto and grabbing him roughly by the arms pushed him face first into the wall.

“Ouch! Seriously guys, this really isn’t my scene-” Ianto gulped hard, trying to keep it light, knowing Jack could hear all that was going on and was probably getting even more worried.

“That’s alright, you’re cute, but I know where you’ve been. Maybe another time. But for now – at the risk of sounding clichéd - I really am going to make you an offer you can’t refuse.”

“I can’t believe you actually said that –” 

A punch in the back silenced Ianto as he crumpled slightly.

_“Don’t piss them off Ianto!”_

“Listen carefully, Jones – I’m here to issue you with an invitation to come and work with us. We’re rebuilding Torchwood as it was meant to be. For the defence of Queen and country. If you stay around here you know Harkness will get to you. He will wipe your memories and hang you out to dry. You know damn well that there are no ex-employees of Torchwood 3.”

“That is true…” Ianto knew precisely where all the ex-employees were. 

“Of course, if you make the right decision, we’ll need some form of assurance of your commitment. Harkness has something that he shouldn’t have, something we’d like to recover from him. A power cell.”

“What makes you think I’d go back there and get something for you? Why don’t you just go in and take it for yourselves?”

“Ideally we’d like to have you as well as the technology. I want you to get it to prove that you’re ready to join us.” Morgan shrugged as if the item he’d asked for was of no real consequence. “It’s just something that Harkness can’t be trusted with. He always was a loose canon – never true to the original mission statement.”

“And you guys are?” asked Ianto incredulously.

“Yes, completely. Now, let’s imagine your attitude was a little more positive. What I’d like you to do is to wait till tomorrow. Get hold of the power cell. Then spend the day walking around the shops, visiting bars, whatever takes your fancy. Then, when I’m convinced you’re on board, we’ll pick you up.”

“What if I just tell you to fuck off and leave me alone?”

“That would make you a traitor, Jones. A betrayer of both Queen and country, and I’d have no choice but to execute you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” 

The sound of a safety being clicked off and the sudden presence of the barrel of a gun pressed to the back of his skull convinced Ianto that Morgan meant what he said.

“Ianto!”

“Right - so if I do steal this power cell for you, how will you know I won’t tell Harkness all about you?”

“You’ll be alone. We’ll know that. If Harkness or any of his team are anywhere near when we come to find you, they will be collecting your corpse and saving us a disposal problem.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the Hub, Jack sat in shocked silence as he absorbed the threat issued by Morgan. The next thing he heard was the sickening sound of an impact on the back of Ianto’s head.

The receiver then picked up the sounds of footsteps on the tiled floor, followed by a door opening and closing.

“Ianto? Say something… come on, say something! Anything? Ianto!”


	10. Chapter 10

“Ianto! Ianto!” yelled Jack. “Owen - he’s not responding!”

“They’ve just coshed him on the head, Jack. He’s probably out cold.”

“But-”

“He hasn’t been moved, Jack,” Tosh brought up the tracker signal on the screen to show Ianto’s location. “He’s still in the pub toilets.” 

“We need to –”

“We need to do nothing,” Owen asserted firmly. “Someone’s bound to find him soon. Those blokes have left the pub now and Gwen’s on standby, he’ll be OK.” 

Owen watched as Jack tried to compose himself. Hearing what Morgan had said had unnerved all of them, but especially Jack. 

Over the speakers they could hear sounds of the door to the gents’ toilets opening and someone shouting for help. 

“Ianto? Can you hear me? Talk to me … come on…” Jack pleaded. 

He was rewarded with a slurred mumbling and then his name:

_“Jack?”_

_“There’s no Jack here, mate. Come on, let’s get you out of here.”_

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the altercation out on Roald Dahl Plass, Gwen had stayed behind, but not before slapping Jack around the face and calling him a bastard. She’s positioned herself on the concrete steps and had sat there, phone in hand waiting for a signal from Tosh. It had been agreed that her showing concern for her friend would look totally plausible and not blow Ianto’s cover. It would look perfectly natural for her to be sending texts and talking on the phone after the row that had erupted, especially after the accusations that had been about her. To a bystander it would appear that she was embarking on damage limitation. 

Once she’d got the alert from Tosh, she tucked her phone in the pocket of her leather jacket and slowly walked across to the Eli Jenkins pub.

“Excuse me – I’m looking for a friend. Tall, wearing a dark suit, red shirt? He came in here about half an hour ago?” Gwen asked, looking sorrowfully at the barman. “He was really upset. He hasn’t got himself in a fight or done anything stupid has he?” 

“Out back, love.” The barman grinned and pointed towards the beer garden at the back of the pub. “One of the locals found him out for the count on the floor of the gents. One too many whiskies I reckon. Bashed his head on the sink by the sounds of it. Is he your boyfriend or something?”

“No, just a friend, like I said. We work together. Bloody idiot is what he is.” Gwen shook her head in despair as if this hadn’t been the first time she’d had to collect him from a pub. “I’ll call my husband and we’ll take him back to ours. Sober him up. Thanks, pet.”

Gwen made her way out to the beer garden and found Ianto propped up on a chair under a parasol, a bag of ice clutched to his head.

“Not again, Ianto, sweetheart,” Gwen cooed over Ianto as she patted his hand. “For a Welshman you should be able to hold your drink a damn sight better, you know. He’s not worth it, you know that don’t you?”

Ianto glared at her from under his lashes, unamused and deeply offended.

As Ianto sipped on the awful cup of coffee he’d been given, Gwen called Rhys and told him that whatever he was doing he had to drop it and meet her in the beer garden of the Eli Jenkins pub. Knowing they were probably being spied on, she made sure to tell Rhys about the fight between Ianto and Jack, and that they had to look after Ianto. 

Gwen also sent a quick text to Jack, letting him know that she was going to take Ianto home with her. She figured he’d be angry with her for possibly divulging her own home address should she be followed, but she couldn’t just abandon Ianto. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Gwen – what the fuck is going on?” hissed Rhys as soon as he had Gwen to himself. “Ianto looks like shit! Did Jack hit him?”

Gwen had made it clear to Rhys in the car that they wouldn’t discuss anything until they’d got back to their flat. Then as soon as they got through the door, Gwen had fussed over Ianto, putting a cold compress on the back of his head and generally smothering the poor lad until Rhys suggested that he might like to use their shower. Ianto had seemed particularly grateful for the opportunity to get away from Gwen’s fussing.

“Rhys, love, what you don’t know can’t hurt you.” Gwen was torn between protecting her husband and involving him in all aspects of her life, including Torchwood.

“Don’t keep me in the dark, Gwen,” Rhys scowled. “I can’t help if I don’t know what’s happening.”

Gwen appreciated that she had to tell Rhys something – apart from anything else, he needed to be aware that they were in potential danger for having brought Ianto back to their home. She explained, in outline, the undercover mission that Ianto was embarking on. Rhys had been initially appalled, despite his relief that it wasn’t Gwen that was to be put directly in harm’s way. She then told Rhys about the mock fight in the Plass and how Ianto had been approached and then attacked in the pub. 

“OK, love, what can I do to help?”

“Cook dinner and let him have a night of normality? I think that would do him the world of good.”

“I can do that,” agreed Rhys, kissing Gwen. “For both of you.”

By the time Ianto staggered out of the bathroom, wearing a loose tee shirt and a pair of Rhys’ jogging bottoms that were hanging off his hips in a way that Gwen found rather distracting, he was welcomed by the aroma of garlic and onion. 

“Spag bol all right for you, mate?” Rhys pointed at the bubbling pot, from which spatters of tomato sauce were splashing out aggressively. 

Ianto nodded enthusiastically – he genuinely couldn’t remember the last home-cooked meal he’d eaten.

“Great. I’m starving.”

“Beer?” Rhys was already opening a bottle of cold beer, the condensation running down the glass. 

“I’m dreaming aren’t I? I’m still out cold on the floor of the gents’ toilets under the condom machine. Next thing you’ll be asking if I want to watch the rugby.”

“Well, at the risk of convincing you that you’re in the middle of some sort of weird fantasy, Wales are playing tonight. Where the hell have you been that you didn’t know that?”

“Food. Beer. Rugby. If this is a dream, it’s a fucking good one. Don’t wake me up, please.”

_“Hey – remember that he’s married to Gwen before you go getting ideas.”_

Ianto couldn’t help but smile as he heard Jack’s affronted outburst. He took the bottle from Rhys and took a large swig from it, welcoming the way it soothed his parched throat. 

“You could learn a lot from him, Jack,” Ianto whispered quietly. 

“What was that, mate?”

“Nothing, Rhys. Just talking to myself…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Gwen’s text had calmed Jack – at least Ianto would be safe for the night. He knew that he couldn’t risk going anywhere near him, that if he did he could be signing Ianto’s death warrant. That didn’t stop him wanting desperately to go to him, to make sure for himself that he really was alright.

“Jack? Did you know those bastards were watching Ianto?” Owen’s accusation brought Jack out of his thoughts with a thud. 

“No. But I should’ve known.” 

That had bothered Jack. Morgan’s admission that they’d been watching Ianto since the battle of Canary Wharf. Just how much did they know about him? And Lisa? 

“Fuck – he’s in a deeper pile of shit than we thought, isn’t he, Jack?” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto woke on the sofa of Gwen and Rhys’ flat. It was early and still dark out. He could stay here and get a lift in with Gwen or he could call a taxi. He needed to get back to his own place for a change of clothes.

He pondered what he should wear for being recruited by a psychotic, blonde, ex-Torchwood teaboy?

Morgan liked suits, that was a given. But Ianto wasn’t keen on encouraging him in that way. He wondered if perhaps he should dress casually, maybe in jeans. He squeezed the outer edge of his ear firmly, reactivating the communication device.

“Jack?”

After a while he heard a quiet chuckle. 

_“Morning – I hope you didn’t switch this thing off so I couldn’t hear you indulging in a threesome with Gwen and Rhys!”_

“Yep, you’ve got me. I knew you’d be upset that we hadn’t invited you to join in.”

_“Yeah? Although I’m not sure I’d be happy sharing you with anyone.”_

“Jack – what do you think I should wear?”

_“I don’t believe you’re asking me that…”_

“Suit?”

_“Yeah, maybe – but not one of my favourites. Wear the dark grey one.”_

“Shirt?”

_“Yes – you’ll get cold without one”_

“Very funny – colour?”

_“Changed my mind – I don’t want you attracting that creep’s attention too much. Jeans, the loose ones and a sweater. Baggy as well, nothing too figure hugging.”_

“OK – that’s helpful.”

_“You’re not being interviewed, Ianto. They’ve made it clear they already want you.”_

“I’m going back to my place now. I’ll be at the Hub in a about an hour’s time.” 

_“I’ll make my exit and then sneak back in. See you soon.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen and Rhys woke to find themselves alone. The blankets were neatly folded on the sofa, along with the clothes they’d lent Ianto. The dirty dishes that had been left piled up in the kitchen sink had been washed, dried and stacked on the counter. Ianto had even collected up all the empty beer bottles, rinsed them out and put them in the recycling box. 

“Do you think he’ll be alright, Gwen?” 

Rhys wrapped his arms about Gwen from behind, resting his chin on the top of her head. He could see from the way she was looking around the flat wistfully, that she wished their guest was still with them. So did Rhys, he had enjoyed his company and was worried about what he was getting himself into. 

He’d asked Gwen that night, in bed, why it couldn’t be Jack that did the dangerous stuff, he seemed better equipped for the James Bond missions. Gwen had got that faraway look in her eyes, the one she got when thinking about her boss, and then explained that Jack didn’t do subtle and that Ianto was the best choice for the job. 

Rhys hadn’t been convinced by that argument and couldn’t help but harbour a grudge against Jack for sending his team into danger and expecting them to willingly risk their lives. He’d seen it in the warehouse, where that big whale creature was being kept and where he’d taken a bullet to protect Gwen. He’d seen how Ianto had almost got himself killed and all Jack did was shout at him to get up and keep going. Rhys would stand up to Jack if he ever put Gwen in unnecessary danger and now he was beginning to feel the need to step in on Ianto’s behalf. It seemed that anyone who placed their trust and devotion in that bloody man lost all sense of self preservation.

“Bloody Harkness,” muttered Rhys.

“What was that, sweetheart?”

“I was going to fix Ianto breakfast this morning. Full fry up – the works,” sighed Rhys. “Seems dangerous, you know. Going undercover on his own and all … he will be OK, won’t he?”

“I hope so, Rhys, for Jack’s sake as much as his. It will destroy them both if this goes badly.”


	11. Chapter 11

Whilst Gwen and Rhys had still been in bed, Ianto had managed to return to his house, take a quick shower and then change into casual clothes. He figured that Morgan’s men wouldn’t make a move until later, after he’d stopped off at Torchwood to ‘steal’ the power cell.

Ianto found himself walking through an apparently abandoned Hub. It occurred to him that perhaps Jack hadn’t got back yet, so he wandered around, touching the surface of each desk, idly running his fingertips over the keyboards of the computers, Tosh’s first then Gwen’s. He walked slowly up the stairs to the kitchenette area and took one last longing look at the coffee machine that Jack swore was alien. He was pouring a handful of coffee beans from one hand to the other when Jack appeared in the doorway.

“One more for the road?” asked Jack.

“Why not? I could do with a coffee,” sighed Ianto.

“That doesn’t surprise me, considering how much alcohol you put away yesterday.”

“Are you nagging me?” asked Ianto, frowning at Jack.

“Well, I was actually worried you’d end up in bed with Gwen and Rhys-”

“I won’t deny that the man is a god in the kitchen and he let me watch the rugby without wanting to re-enact each and every tackle, but-”

“Come here.” 

Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto possessively. Ianto knew what Jack was doing, reassuring himself that he was still in one piece and he didn’t stop him. But he also knew that they didn’t have the luxury of delaying the inevitable.

“Let’s get this over with then, shall we? The power cell- where is it?”

“You don’t have to leave straight away.”

“What’s the point in hanging around?”

Jack shook his head, knowing what Ianto was saying. 

“A few more minutes?” 

“If I delay this, I might not be able to do it.”

“Stay a while – please? How about that coffee?”

“Captain Jack Harkness – begging?”

“Make the most of it.”

“OK. Let’s go through the plan one more time.” 

As Ianto ran through the plan, he ground the coffee beans and scooped up enough of the dark, aromatic powder to make two cups of industrial strength coffee. 

“I take the … the power cell. Then I walk around town until Morgan and his chums hit on me again and then I let them take me back to their secret base. Then I find out what they’re up to, shout for help and you’ll come dashing to my rescue.” 

Ianto was hoping that repeating the plan whilst carrying out an everyday, routine procedure would make it seem more feasible.

“Yeah – it’ll be a breeze…”

“Who are you trying to fool, Jack? You or me?” 

Ianto turned to face Jack, the room silent apart from the gurgle of hot water percolating through the coffee grounds. The expression on Ianto’s face was solemn, he knew that the risks to the mission had increased exponentially since Jack had first formulated the idea of Ianto going undercover.

“OK – it’s not sounding quite so straightforward now. But the main thing is that we find out where they are, get you out of there and then deal with those bastards.” 

Ianto poured two cups of coffee and added a heaped teaspoon of sugar to his own before sipping it slowly. It crossed Jack’s mind that he was drinking the coffee as a condemned man would – as if it was his last. Jack squeezed his eyes tightly shut, desperately trying to expel that image.

“Do you think he was telling the truth? When he said he’d been watching me?” 

Ianto was frowning and Jack sighed, he’d been wondering how long it would be before Ianto wanted to discuss what Morgan had said. 

“He didn’t say anything that he couldn’t have easily found out from the official files.”

“What if he – what if they know about Lisa… what I did… what then, Jack?” 

Jack looked down at his feet, the same thoughts coming to mind that he’d discussed with Owen the previous evening. If they had found out about Lisa and how Ianto had kept a partially converted human alive months after the events of Canary Wharf, then there was no way of telling what they might expect him to do.

“I’ll do everything in my power to get you out of there. Do you trust me to do that?”

“Not an answer to my question. But yes, Jack, I trust you.”

Ianto put his cup down and placing his hands on Jack’s shoulders, leaned in for a slow, gentle kiss, relishing the unique taste of his lover mingled with hot, strong coffee. Jack placed a hand on Ianto’s hip and drew him closer.

“If there was any other way to do this –” Jack’s voice was hoarse as he admitted his own fears out loud.

“Don’t you dare do this to me.” Ianto shook his head as he grabbed hold of Jack, hugging him hard to his chest as if never wanting to let go.

“Ianto – if anything happens to you, I’ll never forgive myself.”

“Yes you fucking will, because it’s what you’ll have to do. It’s the job.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack watched on the CCTV as Ianto made his way up Bute Street towards Cardiff Bay railway station. He was carrying a box of random possessions, after all that had been his supposed cover for returning to Torchwood. The box contained some paperbacks, a few personal souvenirs, photos of the team and Ianto’s least favourite coffee mug. All that and a small metal casket containing a Cyber power unit. 

They’d assembled the contents between them, the last thing he’d done with Ianto, before taking him in his arms, kissing him soundly and demanding that he take care of himself.

Jack didn’t want to let Ianto out of his sight, although he knew that he would have to sooner or later. He was still sitting watching when Gwen arrived, her red-rimmed eyes betraying her own feelings about the whole mission. He reached out a hand for her to take. 

“Thank you, Gwen – for looking after him last night.” 

“He’ll be OK won’t he, Jack?” Gwen sniffed and wiped her nose, she wanted him to say yes, although she knew he couldn’t. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Tosh and Owen arrived, together again, Gwen arranged a rota to keep in touch with Ianto. Jack was put out initially until he caught the look on her face that made it clear that she wasn’t going to negotiate. She was right of course, he couldn’t spend the entire day listening to Ianto waiting for him to be taken, but Jack couldn’t help looking over to Tosh’s work station where they’d set up the transceiver. 

It was Tosh’s turn to monitor Ianto’s status when all hell broke loose. Gwen took a call alerting them to what appeared to be a weevil sighting in town, at least three had been spotted by maintenance workers clearing up at the Millennium Stadium. They reported that they’d been attacked by some sort of wild animal, but the details indicated that they probably were weevils. One of the men had been attacked and by the time the paramedics had got to him, he’d died from blood loss. Security guards had scared the weevils off, chasing them into the tunnels before the police arrived. It had been the police who had contacted Torchwood.

Jack had sworn out loud, he couldn’t believe that the weevils had waited all week and decided to come out and piss him off when he could least afford to be away from the Hub. He had a niggling doubt in the back of his mind, one that prompted him to consider the possibility of such a coincidence. 

However, as Jack dutifully grabbed his greatcoat, his heart sunk as he recalled the times that Ianto would have it ready for him, holding it out for him to slip his arms into. Awkwardly shrugging his shoulders into his coat, he called out for Gwen to accompany him. Owen offered to join them and, with a glance in Tosh’s direction, Jack reluctantly agreed, at least with three of them in the field they could deal with the problem more efficiently and get back to the Hub sooner. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_“Tosh – what’s going on there – that sounded like Jack cursing someone or something.”_

“Nothing to worry about Ianto. Weevil alert at the Stadium. He’s taken Gwen and Owen.”

_“Probably a few Scotland supporters that just sobered up.”_

“Ianto! I hope not – for their sake, especially if Jack finds them. Anyway, how are you doing?”

_““Fine – you can tell him I’m taking it easy, no spirits today.”_

“That’s not what I meant-”

_““I’m fine …really…fine...”_

Tosh could tell he was lying, but let it go. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The team had their work cut out dealing with the group of weevils that had appeared in the basement of the Millennium Stadium. As Jack cornered the last weevil around the back of the stadium, he recalled Ianto telling him that they were attracted to leftover fast food and that’s where he found the last of them, near the skips that were overflowing with waste from the previous night’s game. He wasn’t in the mood for dealing with it gently and quickly despatched it with a shot from his Webley. 

Meanwhile Gwen and Owen had managed to corner two in the pitch-side tunnel and were struggling to contain them. Gwen called Tosh to request more back up from the police. They were going to need them to keep out the public until they could carry all the weevils back to the SUV.

It was when Owen finally subdued the weevils with a growl and a lip curl that Gwen freaked out. She screamed so loud that Jack wished he’d turned his earpiece off.

“Oh my god!!”

“Gwen?” Owen looked over his shoulder at her expecting back up, not the look of horror he saw in her eyes.

“What the fuck was that, Owen?” Gwen was pointing at him in an accusatory manner. 

“Just concentrate will you – get the fucking spray and use it!”

“Gwen? What the hell’s going on?” demanded Jack over the comms. “Have you managed to contain the situation or not?”

“It’s Owen – he just growled at the bloody weevils!”

“Drop it, Gwen,” ordered Jack. “We’ll talk about that later.”

“What? You knew he could do that?”

“Gwen – get off the comms and get on with your job!”

Jack was furious, he had just managed to heave his weevil into the back of the SUV, alongside its two mates, only to find that he had to deal with a situation between Gwen and Owen. The looks they were giving each other almost tempted him to leave them where they were and to travel back with just the weevils. Gwen then insisted on sitting up front with Jack on the way back, she was still complaining about the stench of weevil in her own car and pointed out that Owen didn’t have much of a sense of smell since he’d died. That led onto a row about whether or not Owen had a body odour problem. 

Yelling at both of them to shut up, Jack then proceeded to throw the SUV through the streets with little attention to traffic regulations, including lights and the one-way system. It had taken far longer to deal with the weevil problem than he’d anticipated. Jack was wearing his regular Bluetooth earpiece to keep in contact with the team in the field and he needed to get back so he could talk to Ianto. Tosh had gone quiet and had avoided his questions, only saying that she hadn’t heard him being taken yet.

They arrived back at the Hub exhausted, dirty and snapping at one another. It was either bitch about the weevils and who should have been watching whose back or actually admit that they were worried sick about Ianto. Jack crossed the threshold of the Hub in long strides, giving Tosh the type of look that demanded answers.

“I’m sorry, Jack-”

“What the hell does that mean? Sorry for what? What’s happened?” The hair was standing up on the back of Jack’s neck, he rarely saw Tosh looking scared, let alone terrified, not like she did as she sat there looking up at him, slowly shaking her head.

Tosh tried to explain to Jack that it had been impossible to maintain communications with Ianto whilst co-ordinating the three of them in the maze of tunnels under the stadium. She watched as his face paled as she told him that by the time she’d tried to re-establish contact with Ianto she was no longer getting any response from him. There was nothing, the transmitter wasn’t picking up anything at all. 

They all looked at one another with complete and utter despair – not one of them had there for Ianto when he’d been taken. He’d been alone. Completely alone.


	12. Chapter 12

Jack could hardly believe what Tosh had told him. It wasn’t meant to happen like that. They had let Ianto down already. He had failed him.

“You were meant to keep in touch with him while we were out in the field! What the hell went wrong?”

“It’s not her fault, Jack –” Owen stepped forward placing himself between Tosh and an irate Jack.

“You were recording all input from the transceiver – yes?” Jack demanded with undisguised hope.

“No, Jack – it didn’t seem necessary…”

“Not necessary? Ianto’s gone and we don’t know what the fuck happened!”

“Jack – back off,” shouted Owen as he shoved Jack away from Tosh. “Can’t you see Tosh is just as upset as you are-”

“I doubt that!”

“Can’t you track the signal from the transceiver, Tosh?” asked Gwen, who had approached Tosh’s work station quietly. “Find out where he is that way?”

“Yes, yes of course …”

Gwen moved to Tosh’s side, and leaned on the desk, placing yet another barrier between her and Jack, who was still seething. Gwen knew that he was channelling his fear for Ianto’s safety into anger at the screw up, but it wasn’t fair for him to take it out on Tosh. Any other time she would have taken him to task for that, got in his face and yelled back – but she was too worried about Ianto’s fate herself to do that. She understood Jack’s rage.

Tosh brought up a map of Cardiff – and set the program to search for the signature signal emitted by the device implanted in Ianto. Although she’d designed it to have an output that couldn’t be detected by standard scanners, she had set the transmitter frequency so that she would be able to home in on it. But there was nothing transmitting at that frequency in the entire city.

“Damn – they’ve already got him out of Cardiff,” Tosh muttered, feeling the dark anger of Jack looming over her.

She increased the size of her search area, to take in the surrounding countryside – but still she found nothing.

“How long since you last heard from him?” Owen put a hand on Tosh’s shoulder now, squeezing it gently. She knew he was trying to reassure her that she wasn’t to blame. But Tosh would have done anything to have had the chance to relive the past few hours and not to have lost touch with Ianto.

“Um… it was when you were all on your way to the Stadium. He was in a bar. He asked me to tell Jack that he wasn’t drinking spirits…”

Jack grimaced as he recalled giving Ianto instructions to take it easy on the alcohol. It seemed like only moments ago that he’d left the Hub clutching the small cardboard box.

“That was about two hours ago …” Gwen looked at her watch. “It wasn’t dark when we left, but the streetlights were coming on as we came back.”

“They could be anywhere by now,” Jack sighed heavily as he moved closer to look at the map Tosh was scanning.

“Fuck.” Owen summed up their feelings in one word.

Gwen grabbed hold of Owen’s jacket sleeve, and he placed his hand on top of hers. Their previous argument put into perspective by the outcome of the evening. They were all transfixed, staring at the screen on Tosh’s desk, willing there to be a sign of Ianto’s location.

Zooming even further out, Tosh eventually picked up the signal. A small red dot to the south of the village of Ystradfellte. Deep in the Brecon Beacons.

“Got him!” she exclaimed. “But if that’s where he is, it could explain why I’m not picking up anything from the microphone. A lot of the roads in the area are in valleys cutting through higher ground. It’s also just on the very edge of the range for the transmitter-”

“Right, so we need to get closer,” Jack breathed a sigh of relief. “Gwen, you’re with me. Call Rhys if you need to. Tosh – you stay here and keep tracking him. I need up-to-date intel on all buildings in that area – anywhere they could be holding him.”

Jack saw the shudder that passed through Tosh’s body at the thought of farmhouses in the Brecon Beacons and hoped that Ianto didn’t know where he was heading.

“Owen, much as I’d like you with me, in case of medical emergencies, you’re going to have to stay here. If there are any other weevil alerts, I need someone around who can deal with them.”

“Makes sense. But I’ll pack a medical kit for you to take with you.”

Jack could feel his jaw muscles ache he was clenching his teeth so tightly. But they had a location now, a target to aim for.

Fetching a large holdall from his office, Jack gathered together what seemed like a small armoury of weaponry. He also slipped into his coat pocket the earpiece that was able to establish contact with Ianto. He wanted to be there for him as soon as they were back in range. Jack paused to look around the Hub - Gwen was on her mobile phone, probably talking to Rhys, and Owen was throwing all manner of items into a medical bag. He moved a chair over to sit down next to Tosh and pulled her into a gentle hug.

“Forgive me, Tosh? I’m sorry I took it out on you. I’m just worried…”

“I know, Jack. We all are.”

She didn’t need to say anything else. Jack understood.

“Has the signal moved much?” Jack looked at her screen, reluctant to let anyone, even Tosh, see how much this was affecting him.

“It stopped for a while, but it’s moving slowly north again. I can’t work out where it’s going. There’s nothing there, no buildings.”

“Satellite imagery?”

“The area where the signal is coming from is in a wooded valley.”

Jack swore to himself and stood up just as Gwen came rushing back towards him, a grim look on her face.

“Jack – a message came in for me while we were out. Andy – you know, my ex-partner in the police - well he saw this box of stuff being brought in. A member of the public found it, thought that someone may have been attacked. He thought I should know as there was a picture with me in it – from his description it sounded like that photo Ianto had on his desk upstairs.”

“Ianto took that with him this morning,” Jack frowned. “What else was found?”

“One smashed mug, some torn books … and a blood-stained sweater.”

Gwen saw Jack grow paler and then, after a flicker of something akin to pain flashed across his features, she saw him set his face, tilting his chin up, in the way that meant that he was ready for business.

“Come on, Gwen – let’s go, we’re already at least an hour behind them.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack and Gwen had been gone barely half an hour when Owen demanded that Tosh get hold of them urgently.

“What is it, Owen?”

“Trouble.”

Owen explained to Tosh that when they had dragged the weevils into the cells, he'd taken blood samples. After the appearance of the weevil ’flu, he had decided to screen all new captures as a standard precaution. All three weevils had traces of tranquiliser in their blood.

“We've been set up – diverted by weevils so Morgan could snatch Ianto without us being able to follow them.”

“It makes sense that they'd figure that Jack would want to follow Ianto,” pondered Tosh. “That doesn’t mean they know about his mission to infiltrate them. Does it?”

“Might not make any difference. Either way, Jack’s going to be pissed off. We need to warn him.”

“Shit!” Tosh swore and slammed her fist on the bench.

The fact that Tosh was swearing bothered Owen, not because he was shocked, but because she only swore if something particularly bad had happened, or was about to happen.

“What is it Tosh? You can’t blame yourself for this you know. The weevils were released deliberately to keep us occupied, so –”

“Yes, and although I stupidly didn’t keep recordings of the transmissions from Ianto’s comm unit, the system automatically records all interaction between Hub and field teams during any missions.”

“What are you getting at, Tosh?”

“Here,” she pointed at a graphical display on her computer. “The outputs are colour coded – you’re red, Gwen’s yellow and Jack’s blue. Timeline as shown here. At this point,” Tosh pointed at the screen. “You split up so Jack could go after the weevil that was separated from the others. You and Gwen tried to call him and couldn’t get through.”

“Yeah – for a few minutes, neither of us could get through to him. Gwen thought it was because we were in the tunnels and that our signals weren’t strong enough. That’s when we called you and asked you to relay our position and status to Jack…”

Owen was frowning. In the heat of the moment, chasing weevils through a sports stadium, they’d not stopped to think about it clearly, but looking back, it just didn’t make sense.

“That would have been because of this,” Tosh jabbed her finger angrily at a second graph she’d pulled up. “A short burst of interference, not enough to be noticeable at the time, but enough to block any communication between the three of you. Whoever dropped the weevils off was also watching our operation and made sure we were all kept busy. We’ve been played, Owen.”

“Shit – that could mean they weren’t fooled at all. Ianto’s cover could be worse than useless.”

“We’ve got to tell Jack.”


	13. Chapter 13

“We go ahead as planned, Owen,” snarled Jack. “We get him out and then deal with them.”

As they drew closer to the location indicated by the tracking program, Jack and Gwen could start to pick up sounds from the subdermal microphone on Ianto’s body. Tosh had provided Jack with a portable docking unit that allowed for his earpiece to be connected to the onboard computer in the SUV. They could make out the sound of tyres on a wet road and various random rattling noises. Gwen frowned as she tried to decipher the sounds, but Jack had worked it out and had put his foot down on the accelerator, determined to close the gap between them and Ianto as quickly as possible. 

Jack pulled over suddenly onto the side of the road, as he picked up on the braking sounds of wheels on gravel. He wanted to listen carefully for any clues as to Ianto’s whereabouts. 

Through the speakers on the dashboard, they heard the distinct sounds of car doors being opened and slammed shut. Then a clunk, followed by the sound of a boot door swinging open.

“Oh shit – they put him in the boot,” surmised Gwen, putting her hand to her mouth in horror. “The bastards.”

“Shh!” Jack had already suspected as much and he needed Gwen to keep quiet so they could hear as much as possible.

“He’s not fucking dead is he? Morgan’ll fucking kill us if he’s suffocated.” 

They could then make out the sounds of what they assumed was Ianto’s body being dragged out of the car and onto the ground. The microphone picked up the sounds of pieces of gravel scattering and hitting the panels of the car. 

“Don’t be stupid! It’s just that bloody sedative… you gave him double, he’ll be out for hours yet…”

“Bastard kicked me!” 

“Yeah? That’s ‘cos you jabbed him in the ribs with a knife, you fucking twat…the orders were to deliver him undamaged!”

“I was only prodding him with it to make sure he knew we meant business – not my fault if he fell back onto it. It’s not that bad – it’s stopped bleeding now.”

“You’d just better hope he does wake up. Morgan was looking forward to playing with him and if he doesn’t get to have his fun with the new boy he’ll want compensation – and I’ll let him know it was you that broke his new toy.”

“Fuck you! He’ll wake up soon enough. Rather him than me – Morgan’s a sick fucking bastard.”

“Right then, I’ll take the box and you can carry him, seeing as it’s your fault he needs to be carried.” 

Gwen bit onto her knuckles as she imagined Ianto being carelessly hauled onto the shoulder of one of these thugs.

“Shit – he’s a heavy bastard! Let’s get a move on - it’s all uphill from here.”

If Gwen had thought Jack’s dark mood was bad enough already, she hadn’t counted on the coldness that now masked his features. One stolen glimpse at his eyes was enough to convince her that he was ready to kill. 

“Gwen – keep listening to them. Note down anything they say, any odd noises, any clues where they are or where they’re going.” 

Jack handed Gwen the earpiece, knowing that he couldn’t listen in to Ianto’s captors any more without losing focus. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to get hold of them and break their necks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time they reached the last roadside position of the tracker, the car had gone. The only signs that it had been there were tyre tracks in the gravel. 

Gwen had not been able to pick up anything from the microphone after ten minutes and all she had heard was grunting and puffing from the men carrying Ianto. The occasional curse as one of them walked into a tree branch, but nothing of any use.

“Tosh, are you still tracking him?” 

“Yes, Jack, but the signal’s been getting weaker and weaker,” Tosh responded immediately. However, from the tone of her voice, Jack could tell she didn’t have any good news for him. “It’s been breaking up and is only showing up intermittently now. I’ve been working on boosting the reception, but it’s not helping yet.”

“Keep trying – which way do we need to go?” Jack swung his torch around in the layby, desperately seeking some clues as to the direction in which Ianto had been taken.

“From the layby, they headed in east for about a hundred metres and then veered northeast,” replied Tosh. “ But not directly – they meandered a lot, it’s probably a narrow track rather than an official footpath.”

He could see the beam from Gwen’s torch cutting through the gloom, lighting up tree trunks and boulders. 

“Jack, there’s no obvious path from here. There’s nothing we can do in the dark.”

“I’m not leaving him, Gwen! You heard what those bastards said-”

“Jack, we can’t just wander about in the dark aimlessly,” Gwen insisted, even though she understood Jack’s concern. “We need to find somewhere to stay and wait until morning. We have no choice.”

“Yes we do – we work out from here until we find a pathway. They must have broken branches as they went – we’ll look for signs and – “

“Jack Harkness! You listen up and listen good.” Gwen pinned Jack to the side of the SUV. She knew she wasn’t strong enough to hold him there for long, but she’d taken him by surprise and needed to exploit that fact while she could. “You are not the only one worried about Ianto. He’s our friend as well. Bloody hell, he feels more like a kid brother to me. But farting around out here in the pitch black isn’t going to help him and you know it.”

“What else do you suggest?” snarled Jack, pushing Gwen away from him.

“Listen to me - they aren’t going to kill him. Otherwise they’d have just taken the power cell from him in Cardiff and done it then,” Gwen reasoned, using her police training. “Why bother bringing him out here? They want him alive for a reason. And don’t brood on what they said about Morgan - he could have got hold of Ianto in Cardiff. There must be something they want him for out here. Whilst they still need him alive, we’ve got time.”

“You’d better be right, Gwen,” sighed Jack, defeated by her logic. “Because if we don’t get to him before something-”

“What we need to do now, is regroup and work out the best way to find him and get him out in one piece. That is not going to be achieved by stumbling about in the middle of nowhere, in pitch darkness. This isn’t the city, Jack – no lights, no street signs. We can’t do this at night, not with the equipment we’ve got with us.”

“I hate to admit it, but you’re right.” Jack sighed bitterly, wishing he’d thought of packing night vision goggles along with the guns and rifles.

“The nearest village is Ystradfellte,” Gwen pointed at the map on her phone. “Let’s head there. It’s got a pub - they might have rooms. This area is popular with tourists in the summer. Let me drive.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto woke to find himself in darkness. Complete, absolute darkness. It was disorientating, so he lay still for a moment, taking stock of his condition. His shirt was wet where he’d been lying on his side on the ground and as he slowly sat up he felt a twinge in his side. Wherever he was, it was cold. Bitterly cold. And he could hear water dripping. 

As Ianto tried to steady himself by reaching out to hold onto something, he realised that he was handcuffed. The clinking sound as he moved his arms coming from a chain connected to the cuffs and as he fed the links through his fingers he found that the chain was attached to a metal pipe. Feeling his way tentatively along the pipe, he could feel the wall behind it. The wall was wet, slimy and uneven- it felt as if it was made of stone of some sort, not brick or concrete. Clearing his dry throat, he was startled by the way the sound echoed around him. 

“Fuck!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen was right about the pub and she was able to sweet talk the landlord into letting them have one of the rooms, even though the B&B season was over. As they walked through the door she took one look at the double bed and sighed softly, reckoning that they’d deal with that later. She had brought in the laptop and the transceiver earpiece, letting Jack carry the bulky holdall, which Gwen suspected contained enough arms for a small militia. 

Whilst Jack was setting up the laptop on the dressing table, Gwen called Tosh to let her know where they were. She was grateful that Tosh had made some headway on the transmission problem and wanted to talk to both her and Jack. 

“I think I have worked it out,” explained Tosh. “The residual signal from the comm. unit is still just about detectable when amplified.”

“Can you locate his position?” Jack asked anxiously.

“I can triangulate his position, but the maps and satellite data for the area just show woods, steep gorges and high ground.” Tosh sounded puzzled. “There are no buildings at all in the area, apart from a few old huts from an abandoned tourist site.”

“Could they be holding him one those huts maybe?” asked Gwen.

“I doubt it,” sighed Tosh. “They’re pretty derelict by the looks of it, there are holes in the roofs. But I’ve been thinking - the way the signal faded and the transmission cut off, that’s exactly what happened when Ianto went down to the lower vaults. That suggests that he was taken underground.”

“Tosh! Are you saying he’s buried?” Jack was horrified. 

“Caves!” Gwen blurted out, suddenly looking excited.

“Yes, caves!” agreed Tosh sounding equally excited. “That fits – that would explain the read outs I’m getting.”

“Jack, this area is known for its caves,” Gwen explained. “Dan-yr-Ogof show caves aren’t far from here.” 

“OK – if that’s what’s interfering with the signal I can factor in the local geology, mainly carboniferous limestone, and boost the signals in both directions,” Tosh muttered, evidently working away frantically at her end. “I should be able to locate data on average depth of the cave system and maximum thickness of rock … got it! I’m upgrading the program now and will send it to you to be uploaded on the systems in the SUV and on the laptop. Give it a few minutes and you should be back in communication with Ianto.”

“Tosh – you’re brilliant!” Jack grinned as he praised Tosh. “Thank you.”

“This is my job, it’s what I should be doing.” Tosh sounded relieved that she’d been able to make up for having lost touch with Ianto when he’d been taken. “I’ll see what else I can find on the cave systems in that area. I’ll send any useful files to you, OK?”

“Thanks, Tosh.”

After terminating the call, Jack downloaded the upgrade from Tosh and silently configured the system. All the time thinking of Ianto. He blamed himself. He’d been set up again by those bastards from Torchwood London, but he swore this was the last time. He would destroy them for this. 

As he dwelt on revenge, he heard a muffled cough over the speakers and a muttered expletive.

“Ianto?” 

A quick glance at Gwen confirmed that he wasn’t hearing things. Her open-mouthed expression indicated that she’d heard him as well. 

“Ianto? Can you hear me?” asked Jack. “Please, let me know you can hear me.”

_“Jack…?”_


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter comes with a warning. Nothing explicit happens, but Ianto is subjected to an examination by Morgan that could be a trigger for non-con experiences. I'll post a summary of what happens at the start of the next chapter if anyone wants to skip this one.

“Ianto – are you able to tell me where you are?” Jack asked anxiously, needing the answer, yet also knowing that Ianto may not have been able to speak freely.

_“Must be a cave… can’t see a fucking thing.”_

Jack could hear the hitch in Ianto’s voice, and the chattering of teeth so loud Jack could hardly hear what he was saying

“Ianto? Are you badly hurt?”

There was a pause then a mumbled reply that sounded like ‘not really’. 

“Not convinced here.” 

_“OK.”_

“What’s that rattling sound?”

 _“Chains.”_ Ianto rattled the chains loudly to make it sound to any eavesdropper that he was making a statement to himself and not communicating with anyone. 

“Oh shit –”

 _“Yep …”_ came Ianto’s reply, so quietly that Jack could barely hear him.

The sound of footsteps echoing through the cave system alerted both men to the fact that Ianto was about to have company. A cough from Ianto signalled the end to their conversation – a code they’d agreed on before he had set off that morning. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A torchlight was shone into Ianto’s face, the glare dazzling him so much that he could see no better than he could in the darkness. 

“What the fuck are you guys playing at? I thought I’d been invited to come and work for you,” Ianto made sure he sounded disgruntled and pissed off rather than scared witless. This was for the benefit of Jack as well as his captors. “I don’t remember the part of the offer that involved getting drugged and thrown into the back of a car. Or being chained up in a fucking cave!”

“The boss wants to test your loyalty first. He reckons anyone that’s worked with Harkness can’t be trusted. You’ve just got to prove you want to work with us.”

“I got you what you wanted. That power cell thing. What’s going on? Is Morgan checking it’s the real deal?”

He couldn’t see the men as they moved around the cave but he could hear the chain being removed from the pipe and then it was yanked hard, dragging him to his feet.

“Something like that. Anyway, he’s ready to see you now.” 

The path through the cave system was wet and Ianto couldn’t avoid slipping and stumbling on the rough hewn steps. From what he could see in the flickering torchlight there were metal railings set in the walls on the steeper sections and pipes laid along the floor, as well as thick bundles of electrical cables. 

They eventually approached a Portakabin that appeared to have been set up in one of the larger chambers. One of the men hammered on the door and then pulled it open, pushing Ianto into the warm interior of what seemed to be an office of some sort. 

Ianto squinted as the sudden onslaught of light made his eyes hurt. As his eyes adjusted to the brighter lighting, he could tell that the tall figure in the centre of the room was Nick Morgan, standing behind a chair and resting his hands on the head rest. He had dispensed with the overcoat and was dressed in black trousers, with a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. Without breaking eye contact with Ianto, he slipped his jacket off and placed it on the back of the chair, revealing a dark green waistcoat. 

Morgan then smiled in a distinctly sinister fashion as he beckoned his men to bring Ianto further into the room. He then proceeded to make a show of removing his cufflinks, and rolling up his sleeves, exposing an intricate tattoo on the inside of his left arm. He absentmindedly brushed the fringe of his straight blonde hair out of his eyes, revealing a predatory expression. Ianto was looking into the ice cold eyes of someone who evidently meant him nothing but harm.

“Hello Mr Jones, good to see you again, although I must admit I preferred the suit. We’ll dispense with the difficult questions until tomorrow. The others have a few concerns about Torchwood Cardiff and they seem to think that you may be able to provide some answers for them. They’re coming over in the morning just to see you. That’s how important you are to us, Mr Jones.”

“I’m flattered,” replied Ianto with a hint of sarcasm.

“Meanwhile, I’m sure you’ll understand that we need to make sure aren’t carrying anything you shouldn’t be – weapons, communication devices, that sort of thing. My men did a cursory search when they picked you up, but it doesn’t hurt to be more …” Morgan paused to cast a roving eye over Ianto’s body, licking his lips slowly as he did so. “… thorough.” 

The two henchmen stood either side of Ianto, each taking a firm hold of an arm, tightening their grip to prevent him from struggling. Morgan’s movements reminded Ianto of a cat stalking its prey as he moved behind him. It was more unnerving not to be able to see what he was doing and he flinched as Morgan’s hands crept around and over his chest, fingertips tracing over his ribs and brushing against the barely healed wound in his side. Then Morgan crouched down to run his hands over Ianto’s hips, then down each leg, one at a time, slowly, down to his feet and then up the front of his thighs, lingering on his groin. Whatever he was looking for, he wasn’t going to find it, thought Ianto, biting his lip in the effort not to make any noise that would alarm Jack.

Morgan then stood up behind him, pressing his face close to the side of Ianto’s head, the stench of his aftershave assaulting Ianto’s nostrils. He reached around Ianto’s waist. By now Ianto could taste blood in his mouth from where he’d bitten hard onto his lower lip. He took a deep intake of breath when Morgan idly undid the button of his jeans, slid the zip of his flies down and slipped a hand inside. Ianto swore loudly and began to struggle, despite knowing it was futile – he was at Morgan’s mercy and the man knew it. 

Ianto started to breathe faster, a rush of adrenaline affecting him in a way he was unable to control. The fight and flight instincts were threatening to get the better of him. 

_“Ianto! Ianto – are you OK…?”_

From the tone of Jack’s voice in his ear, any attempt to downplay the situation was failing. Ianto was just grateful that Jack couldn’t see what Morgan was doing to him.

“No –” blurted out Ianto, squirming uneasily as Morgan groped him through his underwear. He instantly regretted his unintentionally accurate reply to Jack’s question.

“Just checking you’re not hiding anything in your pants …well nothing that shouldn’t be there…” 

“Told you before – not interested …” Ianto said through clenched teeth, just wishing that Morgan would stop touching him the way he was – it was making him feel decidedly nauseous. 

“So it would seem – but don’t worry, I do love a project.” 

Ianto could tell by the tone of his voice that his lack of arousal had annoyed Morgan.

Although Ianto had hoped Morgan would take the hint, he didn’t remove his hand from inside Ianto’s pants, instead his cold, slim fingers continued to try to coax a reaction that was not forthcoming. 

Ianto swallowed hard, forcing the bile back down his throat. 

“I really don’t care whether you’re interested or not.” Morgan whispered into Ianto’s right ear. “I shall have you.” 

Ianto gasped in pain as Morgan squeezed hard. 

_“I’ll kill him! I swear it, Ianto – if he … I’ll kill the bastard…”_

To Ianto’s relief, Morgan took his hand out of his pants and moved around to face him once more. 

“Alright, now I’m certain you’re not wired, I’m prepared to give you a choice of where you’d like to spend the night. My bed behind that door,” Morgan gestured to the rear portion of the cabin. “Or you could go back to the reception area where you were held earlier. What’s it to be, Jones?” 

“Oh well, if that’s the choice,” Ianto shrugged as much as he could, which wasn’t much as his upper arms were still held in the iron grip of Morgan’s henchmen. “It would be a stinking cave. Every fucking time.” 

“You’ll live to regret that, Jones!”

Then, without warning, Morgan lunged forward, grabbed Ianto’s head in his hands and bit hard onto his ear. 

Ianto screamed out loud. 

That was the last sound Jack heard from Ianto as the transmitter went dead. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following on from the last chapter, where Morgan 'searched' Ianto for any hidden devices and insinuated that he fully intended to have him in his bed eventually, whether he was willing or not. Ianto rejected Morgan, who spitefully bit his ear, damaging the transceiver. Jack is left not knowing what the hell is happening and is understandably distraught.

“Ianto!!” screamed Jack.

“Jack?” demanded Gwen, worried sick. “What the hell just happened?”

“I don’t fucking know, Gwen, but it can’t be good.”

Jack had grabbed his regular earpiece and called the Hub, knowing that Tosh would have also been monitoring any communication from Ianto.

“Tosh, what happened then?”

“I’m sorry, Jack! It just cut out, there’s nothing.”

“Talk to me, Tosh – what could have made that comm. unit shut down that suddenly?”

Jack sat with his head in his hands as Tosh went through the possible alternatives, her voice wavering as she desperately tried to work out what could have happened.   There were few possible explanations, none of them particularly comforting. The first one she offered was dismissed by Jack immediately. The possibility of Ianto deliberately shutting down the device, perhaps to save Jack from hearing what happened next, was unacceptable, apart from anything else he had hardly seemed to be in a position where it would have been possible. The trouble with rejecting that theory was that the remaining alternatives were both worse: Ianto had either sustained a traumatic injury to the side of his head, damaging the communication device or his captors had detected it and had disabled it permanently.

Whatever the cause, the result remained the same. Jack had been listening in, helplessly, as Morgan was abusing Ianto. He’d obviously hurt him and had been threatening to do far worse. Jack had no idea what was happening, or what Ianto had suffered next. His imagination was running riot and his own past experiences did nothing to allay his fears.

Gwen found herself automatically ducking, as Jack suddenly sprung to his feet and hurled his chair across the room. It shattered as it struck the wall and splinters of wood flew out in all directions, over the bed and onto the carpet. Moments later they heard someone running up the stairs from the bar, followed by a frantic hammering at the door.

“Are you alright in there, love?”

“Oh bollocks! The landlord probably thinks we’re having a fight, Jack!” hissed Gwen.

She dashed to the door, trying her best to convince the landlord that there was no cause for concern. However, her tear-streaked face, dishevelled hair and dilated pupils didn’t help, no matter how hard she tried to smile.

“I’m OK. Really. We just got some bad news, about a friend…” Gwen kept close to the actual truth. The last thing they needed was for the local police to be called in to deal with a suspected domestic.

“If there’s been any damage you’ll have to pay for it!”

The landlord peered in past Gwen, trying to ascertain just what had caused the almighty crash he’d heard from downstairs. Although Gwen was holding the door so that it was only open a crack, she knew the landlord could see the pieces of the broken chair lying on the bed.

“The chair got a bit broken - just put it all on the bill. We’ll compensate you, I promise.”

“Are you sure you’re OK? Is there anyone you’d like me to call for you?”

The kindly man gave Gwen an understanding look that made her smile. She was glad to know that there were people around that cared about strangers still. Not everyone they met was out to kill them or cause them harm.

“No, really, I’m fine. Tell you what, we’ll come down to the bar in a little while. Maybe get something to eat? If you’re still serving food that is?”

“OK, if you say you’re alright. The wife’s only taking orders for bar food for the next twenty minutes, so you’ve not got long, but I’ll see if I can get her to make an exception for you.”

As the landlord made his way back down to the bar, Gwen slumped against the back of the door. She was grateful he hadn’t caught a glimpse of Jack. It wouldn’t have taken much to interpret his feelings as anything other than murderous. His fists were still clenched and his eyes narrowed with hatred.

“Jack –”

He moved towards the large bag he’d brought in from the SUV and was pulling out all manner of weapons, cramming them deep into the pockets of his coat.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“Where do you think, Gwen? I need to get Ianto out of there now. Isn’t that obvious? Or do I need to draw pictures for you!”

“You go storming in there now and you’ll probably end up getting him killed!”

“There are worse things than dying, Gwen.” Jack was grim faced, the haunted look in his eyes suggesting he was speaking from experience.

Gwen swallowed hard, but wasn’t going to let Jack go, even though part of her also wanted vengeance.

“I understand, but before trying to rescue him we need to find out more about the cave systems he’s being held in,” reasoned Gwen, once more trying to ground Jack. “Otherwise we could waste hours. And neither of us is exactly equipped to go caving.”

“And Ianto is?” Jack countered sarcastically. “But you’re right dammit, we need more information before entering those damn caves.”

“Hang on a minute. Rhys and I used to come here for weekend breaks, we used to walk along the waterfall trails-”

“Gwen – this is so not the time for tales of your romantic holidays with Rhys!”

“No – listen to me! Rhys and his mates used to go caving around here. They’d make a weekend of it and then get so pissed I had to pick them all up. I hated it, made him give it up.”

“Where is this going?” Jack sighed wearily; it was only the earnest expression on Gwen’s face that persuaded him to let her continue.

“He probably still has the maps and gear back home- he never gets rid of anything. He can bring it here! He could help -”

“It’s too dangerous, Gwen –”

“He’ll want to help. He’s worried about Ianto as well.”

“OK – call him,” conceded Jack. “Get him to bring any maps or equipment he has and then I want him to go back to Cardiff. I also want you to go back with him.”

“You need back up, Jack. You can’t do this on your own!”

“I’m not taking any chances, Gwen. I can’t do what I need to do if I have to look after you as well-”

Jack was partly concerned for Gwen’s safety, but he also didn’t want her to see what he’d be prepared to do to get Ianto back.

“But-”

“No arguments, Gwen.”

“This is not over, Jack. But I’ll go call Rhys now – I’ll do it from the SUV, give you some time to yourself.”

In reality, Gwen needed to rant about Jack and gather her strength to take him on one more time. There was no way that she wasn’t going to help rescue Ianto.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deep in the caves to the south of the village, Ianto was lying, curled up, on his side. His head throbbed with pain emanating out from the injury inflicted by Morgan. He gritted his teeth as he raised his cuffed hands to his right ear. He could feel the crust of dried blood and as he tentatively probed the edge of his ear he felt the warm, wet flow of blood as he reopened the wound.

“Shit!”

But he had no choice. He had to see if the device was still operational. He had to press hard, directly on the injured part of his ear. The sharp pain that flooded outwards would have made him scream out loud, if he hadn’t taken the precaution of biting into a mouthful of shirt fabric before touching the side of his head.

Nothing.

“Fuck.”

He tried again, this time digging his finger tips in as forcefully as he could without passing out. He failed to suppress an agonised whimper, his breath coming out in shaking gulps as he tried to control his response to the excruciating pain.

Then the earpiece crackled as it came back to life. Then he heard Jack’s distressed voice.

_“Ianto? What the fuck is that bastard doing to you?”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_“Jack?”_ The voice was hoarse, barely audible, but undoubtedly Ianto’s. 

Jack looked towards the door, Gwen had left to call Rhys and then get them something to eat. Damn, he’d want her to know that Ianto was back in touch with them, but there was no way he was leaving the room.

“What’s going on, Ianto? Can you talk?”

_“Hang on…”_ The speakers crackled once more, as the sound cut in and out, the problem was obviously not totally fixed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto curled onto his right side, facing into the wall, that way if he was being observed they wouldn’t be able to use a lip reader to work out what he was saying. For all he knew there could have been thermal imaging cameras trained on him. If there were any hidden microphones in the area rigged to pick up sound, he figured that quiet mumbling into his chest would not be interpreted as that suspicious, not in the circumstances.

“Yep – quietly.”

_“What the hell happened?”_

“Bastard bit my fucking ear. Hurts like hell. Guess what that damaged…”

_“Is that all he did? He didn’t –”_

“No! No… he definitely wanted to... but no, no, he didn’t…” Ianto’s voice broke as he shuddered at the thought of what could have happened.

_“How are you, Ianto?”_ Jack demanded, as if he detected the unspoken fear.

“Fine, really. Apart from the fact that I’m freezing my nuts off on the floor of a fucking cave. Yep, everything’s great.”

Ianto forced a smile onto his lips, he knew Jack well enough to know that he’d be feeling that the situation had passed beyond his control, and that’s when the man was at his most vulnerable. Ianto didn’t want to add to his anguish, but by the same token he didn’t want to lie to Jack either, that never ended well.

_“Thank God you didn’t end up in that bastard’s bed.”_ Jack sighed loudly.

Ianto could tell that Jack was worried that Morgan had followed through on his threats. It occurred to him that Jack had first-hand experience of that sort of assault.

“No. Got brought back here after I turned down his offer.”

Ianto decided not to let Jack know about the vicious blows to the abdomen he’d received first and the fact that he’d been doubled up in pain as he’d been dragged back into the darkness.

_“Hang on, Ianto. It won’t be for long - I’m going to get you out of there.”_

“Not yet,” pleaded Ianto. “There’s no way I’m going to have gone through all this crap for nothing. Let me find out what’s going on first.”

_“No, Ianto – the mission’s off! I’m getting you out of there!”_

“You saying I’ve failed?”

_“No!”_

“Then let me do what I came here for!”

_“What about Morgan? He’s not going to leave you alone and I swear if that –”_

“Listen. I pissed him off, instead of submitting to him, I rejected his advances –that’s why he bit me so fucking hard. His men were ready to laugh at him, he had to re-establish his standing. That’s why he had to show me who was boss.”

_“And that’s meant to make me feel better about leaving you in there?”_

“Yes –if he tries it on again I don’t think he’ll want an audience – he’ll wait till he’s got me on my own.”

_“Not helping …”_

“Jack – trust me, I can and will fight back if he ever sticks his hands down my pants again...” As soon as the words left his lips, Ianto knew he’d said too much.

_“That bastard -”_

“Like I said before, I’ve no intention of being shagged by that wanker. Trust me.”

_“Ianto …of course I trust you. It’s just that I don’t want that bastard laying another finger on you-”_

“Not the time to get possessive all of a sudden. Let me do my job,” Ianto was growing increasingly frustrated with Jack’s failure to accept his role as a Torchwood operative in the field and not someone in need of protecting. This was made particularly galling as it had been Jack’s idea in the first place. “Once I’ve done that, then you can swoop in to rescue me and reclaim your territory-”

_“It’s not like that and you know it! Promise me one thing, Ianto – as soon as you get even the faintest hint that you’re not going to be able to defend yourself, you shout for help. Because if I don’t get you out of there in one piece, I will never forgive myself.”_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The image of Morgan getting Ianto to himself made Jack shudder. He was convinced that more had happened to Ianto than he was telling him, more than a bite to the ear. That was bad enough, he despised Morgan enough for what he’d said to Ianto and the suspicion that he’d done even more to hurt him was enough to make his blood boil.

Added to that was the fact that he’d as much as threatened Ianto with a sexual assault, which just tipped the scales. Jack fully intended to make Morgan pay for that. He was determined to ensure that Morgan suffered as lingering and unpleasant a death as possible.


	16. Chapter 16

Gwen went outside to make her phone calls, sitting outside on the picnic bench in the pub garden. She called Rhys first and then the Hub. Despite attempts to disguise his concern with gruffness, Owen had been distinctly worried and Gwen smiled fondly as she recalled his demands to know if the medical kit he’d assembled was going to be sufficient. He then suggested that he come up to Ystradfellte with Rhys, but Gwen made it clear to him in no uncertain terms that Tosh was not to be left alone in the Hub. She was glad that Tosh had been in full agreement with this, after all, the last thing she wanted to have on her mind at that moment was the type of conversation that her ex- (in-more-ways-than-one) -lover, could have with her husband. 

Tosh asked Gwen if she could make sure that Rhys called by the Hub first, she wanted to equip him with the latest in thermal radiation detectors and get a copy of the maps he had. She’d explained excitedly that she’d got hold of the blueprints for the device by hacking into a government agency and had spent the last few hours assembling the apparatus. It was designed to locate bodies buried under rubble or trapped under collapsed buildings, and should help them find Ianto in the cave systems. 

Gwen’s conversations with Rhys, Tosh and Owen had lightened her spirits to some extent, all of them had tried to remain optimistic, even going so far as to remind her that the whole point of the operation was for Ianto to go undercover. But she felt no better about the plan now than she had when Jack had first suggested it. Tosh and Owen knew something about Torchwood One, Ianto had worked for them, but to her it was an unknown. From what Jack had explained to her, she understood that One was more like a major corporation compared to Torchwood Three. For some reason the organisation that had spawned this rogue splinter group was frightening enough, which gave her all the more reason to fear the group of people who had taken Ianto. 

It was a chilly night, but at least the rain had stopped and as Gwen sat on the bench in the dark pub garden, she could see smoke, from the open fire, spiralling up out from the crooked chimney of the old pub building. The golden yellow glow from the windows was enticing, the muted burbling of chatter in the snug drawing her back towards people, ordinary, normal people, who didn’t have to face life or death situations every working day. 

She could have returned to the room upstairs, but she wasn’t ready to face Jack, he’d still be brooding and there was only so much she could do to withstand the force of his personality at the best of times. Gwen was worried about him as well as Ianto, but thought that maybe a drink at the bar would give her the Dutch courage she’d need if she was to keep a lid on his temper for long enough to prevent him doing something he’d only regret later.

As Gwen looked around the bar, she was relieved that she’d managed to persuade Jack to stay in their room. If he’d have come down in the mood he was in, the locals would have been out the front door faster than you could say “bloody Torchwood”.

The first pint went down fast, faster than was advisable on an empty stomach, making her slightly light-headed and also aware of how hungry she was. So she got herself a hotpot from the bar, the landlady taking pity on her even though she’d missed last orders for food. She had also asked for a plate of sandwiches to be made up, to take up to the room later, that way if Jack refused to eat, which she fully expected, then at least she’d be able to offer them to Rhys. She found herself giggling involuntarily, as she suddenly realised that she would have to explain to the landlord and landlady of a small village pub what she was doing sharing a room with two men. She idly wondered who’d get the bed. There was one thing she was sure of, there was no way Jack was going to send her and Rhys packing while he tried to rescue Ianto on his own. She cared about both men too much to allow that to happen. 

Still unwilling to cope with the wrath of Jack, she got herself another drink and as she stood at the bar, sipping the froth off the top of her pint of lager, it occurred to her that talking to the locals and digging around for information might be a productive way to pass the time until Rhys arrived. Her police training could prove useful when it came to putting people at their ease in her company. In fact, she used to pride herself for her success rate at teasing details from the most tight-lipped of witnesses.

It didn’t take long to locate the most likely sources of local gossip in the snug bar. There were two old men, complete with flat caps and gnarled walking sticks, sitting on bar stools that looked as if they had become moulded to their bottoms. They didn’t say much to each other, apparently conducting a silent conversation that was tried and tested. Both men drank from their own pewter tankards, which the landlord refilled automatically as he acknowledged them by name. They looked like sheep farmers to Gwen, their faces weathered and craggy like the surrounding hills. She was genuinely pleased when they seemed more than willing to accept her company as she gestured at an unclaimed bar stool next to theirs.

“Good evening, gentlemen – how are you?”

Pleasantries were never wasted believed Gwen. She only wished she could impress that upon Jack sometimes. His interviewing techniques were usually effective, but inelegant. He relied on shouting, intimidation and threats. She shook her head as she considered how his interviews always resembled an interrogation more than anything else. Patience definitely seemed to be yet another virtue he had no time for. 

However, Gwen’s easy smile soon loosened the tongues of her elderly drinking companions, as did the whisky chasers she insisted on treating them to, as compensation for the shock they’d had earlier when they’d heard the sound of breaking furniture above their heads. They had shown her the fine wood powder that had fallen from the ceiling onto the bar, protesting that the building was four hundred years old and wasn’t built for great big thugs to go stomping around in.

“So, tell me what it’s like round here these days. Has it changed much? I used to come out here to walk along the valley, up to the waterfalls.”

“I suppose you’d have made it as far as Sgwd yr Eira?”

“Yes – that’s the one where you can walk around the back isn’t it?”

“Not at the moment, love – been fenced off due to health and safety –”

“What a shame – I remember it was like standing behind a huge curtain of water. White water – that’s how it got its name isn’t it? Like snow?”

The two elderly gentlemen relaxed in Gwen’s presence – they appreciated the fact that not only was she familiar with the area, she was also Welsh and understood more than the type of visitor they normally saw tramping through the valleys, littering them with empty cans and food wrappers.

“The caves – tell me, are there as many people interested in them these days?”

“Well, Dan yr Ogof is still doing good business, but the other place never came to anything.”

“I didn’t know there was another show cave.” Gwen had genuinely not heard of anywhere other than Dan yr Ogof that was open to tourists. She had meant to ask them about the types of cave that Rhys and his mates used to visit, rather than the ones descended upon by coach loads of tourists. But she was intrigued by the news of another cave system. 

“Oh yes – they tried to get planning permission to open it to the public. Rumours were that it was even more extensive than Dan yr Ogof – huge underground caverns, great high ceilings, an underground lake-”

“Aye – and beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.”

“But just before they were due to open it to the public, there was some sort of explosion. Major rock fall inside. Two workmen were killed, isn’t that right, Huw?”

“Yes, indeed – two of them, poor souls, took the rescue team hours to dig them out.”

“That was it though, place closed down indefinitely – too dangerous for the public. The council withdrew their licence until they got it made safe, but it was going to cost a fortune.”

“Anyways these days the kids just want bloody theme parks, not natural wonders.”

“I know what you mean,” agreed Gwen heartily, although she couldn’t hep but think she’d stumbled on something vitally important. “So what happened to this cave then?”

“Ddraig yr Ogof? It got bought up by a private owner, not to be open to the public at all they say. Mind you, they’ve had all sorts of stuff delivered there – but no one knows for sure what they’re planning.”

“Ddraig? Dragon? Why’s that then – don’t tell me that they were going to cash in on The Lord of the Rings publicity? Install a smoking Smaug in a cavern on a heap of glittering jewels?”

That made the two men giggle, not that they had a clue what she was going on about, but the faces she pulled were funnier than anything they’d seen for a while.

However, the landlord smiled as he understood what she was saying. He leaned over the bar to whisper in her ear.

“A word of warning, missy…”

“Yes?” Gwen’s eyes widened as she became even more certain that she was onto something.

“Whatever you and your friend are doing around here, don’t go up on the hillsides after dark.”

“Why?”

“Ddraig yr Ogof is the name the locals give the caves, not the owners. Isn’t that right, Huw?”

The white-haired old man, sitting next to Gwen, nodded his head and patted her hand that was still clutching an empty pint glass.

“The locals are superstitious folk. But there’s no denying that there’s been funny stuff going on up there in the woods – strange lights.”

“Really? What? Like UFO’s?”

“Don’t mock us, young lady, just because we’re country folk. Not just flashing lights in the middle of nowhere. There was that sheep of old Ivor’s-” 

“Sheep?”

“Aye, they found its carcass on the hillside, charred beyond recognition – almost totally incinerated. Even the bones were blackened. Ivor said the rest of the flock were scattered for miles, by the time he’d herded them all up he found others that had scorch marks on their fleeces. What’s more his dog, Flossie, she wouldn’t go anywhere near the bodies, snarled and growled as if they smelt wrong.” 

“It’s no wonder some in the village say there’s a bloody dragon up there – comes out at night, breathes fire and burns sheep to cinders. What else could explain that?”

Gwen stopped briefly to consider the presence of an actual dragon. She couldn’t deny that odder things have been known and she recalled the cover story concocted by Ianto and Tosh to hide the fact that the Hub’s resident pteranodon had developed a taste for lamb. 

“Kids with flame throwers?” Gwen offered, although her thoughts were starting to stray towards adults with far more dangerous weapons.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A slightly longer chapter today, with no evil cliff-hangers as there won't be any more updates until Monday as I'm away over the weekend.

Gwen politely declined the offer of another drink, explaining that she really had to take the sandwiches up to her room. Before leaving the convivial company at the bar, she said that she was expecting her husband to turn up later and asked him to direct Rhys to her room if she wasn’t back in the bar before he arrived. Huw and his companion raised their tankards to her as she said goodnight.

“Jack!” yelled Gwen, as she crashed through the door, desperate to share her findings.

But she was instantly silenced by the sight that met her. Jack was sitting on the bed, in the dark, his back to the head board and his knees pulled up to his chest, apparently whispering to himself. As she switched the light on, she thought she caught a glimpse of a single tear track on Jack’s face. She put the plate of sandwiches down on the dressing table, mumbled an apology and made as if to leave again, but was halted as Jack raised a hand and beckoned her to join him.

“It’s Ianto…” he whispered, smiling sadly. “He got the comm. unit working again.”

“Is he OK?”

“It’s Gwen… she wants to know how you are. He says he’s fine.” Jack shook his head slowly, letting Gwen know that he didn’t believe that for one minute. “Try to sleep maybe, at least get some rest. I’ll be in touch again later.” 

As Jack turned his head to one side, so that he could remove the earpiece, Gwen could have sworn she heard him softly say 'love you', although she couldn’t be sure if it was just the expression on his face that planted the suggestion of the words in her mind.

Gwen found herself staring open-mouthed in wonder, as she knelt on the bed next to Jack. She could hardly believe that she had actually witnessed him declare his feelings for Ianto. The fact that he had done so, in her presence, worried her.

After gently placing the earpiece on the night stand, Jack sat back hard against the headboard.

“Jack? What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Later, Gwen,” Jack sighed and rubbed his face, failing miserably to remove any trace that he’d been crying. “Have you got any good news for me?”

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Gwen updated Jack on the fact that Rhys was on his way to Ystradfellte with the maps and caving gear, as well as some vital equipment he was going to collect from Tosh and Owen. Then she went over the conversation she’d had in the bar. She was so anxious to get all the details across that she ended up going over some parts several times, all the while gesticulating dramatically. Unfortunately, it came across as some fantastical Arthurian legend rather than the piece of detective work that had been her aim.

“Are you sure about all of this?” Jack frowned, scratching his head. “With all due respect, Gwen, you crash into the room, stinking of lager and then tell me a string of stories about caves, scorched sheep and dragons! Are you sure the locals weren’t just winding you up?” 

Jack was giving Gwen the type of look that she’d have given anyone who’d told her, two years ago, that there were aliens living in the sewers of Cardiff. She could hardly blame him.

“Really, Jack. I believe them. Those caves – that must be where they’re holding Ianto,” Gwen reached out and squeezed Jack’s arm, urging him to believe her. “I bet they even arranged the first explosion that forced the previous owners to sell up.”

“I hope you’re right.” Jack rubbed a hand through his hair. “That’s the kind of lead we need right now. You know, Ianto’s determined to stick it out in there, complete the mission. Stubborn damn idiot. I made him promise to call for help if things got too dangerous, but-”

“But you’re frightened he won’t be able to? Or he’ll leave it too late?”

“Both.”

Gwen slid her arm inside Jack’s coat and snuggled up to him, offering him whatever comfort she could, and taking some for herself. The adrenaline rush from earlier had left her feeling drained, Jack’s body heat was enveloping her and the lager had made her sleepy. Before long she was fast asleep, slumped against Jack’s side. 

With an arm protectively wrapped around Gwen’s shoulder, Jack looked at the earpiece beside the bed. He was torn between keeping Ianto company and leaving him to try to get some rest. He’d call Owen and ask him whether Ianto would be better off sleep-deprived or hypothermic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rhys could find no sign of Gwen in the snug, where she had told him she would wait, so he got himself a beer and stood at the bar as he looked around him. He smiled at the two old boys sitting on bar stools next to him. They looked at one another briefly and then one of them nudged Rhys with his walking stick.

“Alright there, lad? You looking for someone?”

“Aye – my wife. Meant to be meeting her here, but there’s no sign of her.”

“Dark, shiny hair? Great big smile and legs up to-”

“Aye, that sounds like my Gwen.”

“You’d be Rhys then – right?” the landlord called out to him, whilst slowly pulling a pint of Guinness, not taking his eye off the creamy dark brew. 

“That’s me.” Rhys moved along the bar to speak to the landlord, but not before overhearing one of the old men mutter to his friend:

“This is going to be interesting. Listen out for more fireworks – mark my words.” 

“She had a few pints with the young men here at the bar, then took a plate of sandwiches upstairs. Said I should send you on up if she didn’t make it back down in time. It’s the room at the top of the stairs on the left, number three. Stairs around the back, follow the signs for the loos.”

“Righty-o, I’d best go find her then.” Rhys drained his glass and placed it carefully on the bar.

“Hey lad – are they expecting you?” Huw had a wicked glint in his eye, that gave Rhys cause for concern. “You don’t want to interrupt anything do you?”

“No I bloody don’t,” muttered Rhys, rushing off to make sure there was nothing going on that could be interrupted. 

He took the stairs two at a time, hearing the old timbers creak beneath his feet alarmingly as he did so. He turned left and found the room straight away. He suddenly hoped it wasn’t locked, he really didn’t want to have to go back to the bar to ask for a key. 

Turning the handle slowly, Rhys was relieved that the door opened smoothly. However, his relief turned to shock at the sight of Gwen snuggled up into Jack’s side, drooling on the lapel of his greatcoat and snoring noisily.

“Bloody hell, Harkness! What the fuck is wrong with you?” Rhys demanded in a hissed whisper as he pointed frantically at his wife.

“What?” whispered Jack, not wanting to wake Gwen. 

Pressing a finger to his lips, to hush Rhys, he then gently eased Gwen off of his shoulder and fully onto the bed. As she rolled over, onto her other side, Jack slid off the edge of the bed and gestured for Rhys to leave the room, indicating that he would follow. Taking a blanket from the bottom of the bed, Rhys covered his wife carefully, not waking her, but he’d caught the smell of alcohol from her breath and became even more incensed. 

Before reaching the door, Jack quietly returned to collect his earpiece from the nightstand. He didn’t want to be far from the means to communicate with Ianto, just in case. 

It wasn’t until Jack had ushered Rhys through the bar, a hand to his elbow, and into the car park, much to the bemusement of the locals, that he spoke out loud.

“It’s not what it looks like!” Jack exclaimed, raising his hands up in a gesture of surrender. 

“Oh yes? My wife is drunk and in bed with you, while your … your boyfriend has been abducted by a group of thugs who are doing god knows fucking what to him!” yelled Rhys, clenching his fists ready to floor Jack if he couldn’t come up with a decent explanation. “How does that look to you, Captain Innuendo?” 

Rhys couldn’t believe what he’d seen with his own eyes. He’d had his suspicions at their wedding – he’d seen how Jack treated Ianto and how close he was to Gwen - but this was outrageous. 

“For fuck’s sake– I did not get her drunk,” insisted Jack, furious with the accusations that Rhys was making. “She managed that all by herself. I was sitting on the bed, talking to Ianto if you must know, when she came in from the bar and collapsed next to me. She rambled on and on about caves, cremated sheep and dragons. Then she passed out.” 

“You know what? I think my story sounds more plausible than yours, but knowing what I do about you lot, I guess you could be telling the truth.” Rhys let his anger subside and sat down at the picnic table that Gwen had been drawn to earlier that evening. “Dragons you say?”

“Ddraig yr Ogof?” Jack asked, strangling the vowels as he swung a leg over the bench seat to straddle it. “Ring any bells?” 

“Oh yes. I remember that. Massive cave system due to be opened to the public. There was a rock fall that stopped all that. By all accounts the stupid bastards were blasting a hole to link two of the large caverns. Stupid bloody idea in the first place.”

“Really?” Jack was both surprised that the story was true and shocked that Rhys was a fountain of knowledge. “So you really do know about this stuff then?”

“I may not run around the streets of Cardiff in a bloody great big flapping coat, clutching an antique pistol,” Rhys ranted. “But, for the record, I do know a damn sight more about this part of Wales than you will ever know.” 

For a while the two men sat without speaking, looking up at the night sky, annoyed with each other for reasons that really didn’t matter. The sky was now glistening with pinpricks of light, the stars managing to peak out from beneath dark rain clouds that were drifting across the sky, driven by strong winds that seemed intent on blowing them across the face of the moon. The clouds were lit by the moonlight in odd shades of mauve and grey, like bruises on the pristine white of the lunar backdrop. The sound of owls proclaiming their territories in the woods was the only sound to break the silence.

“Anyway, I’ve got the maps and caving gear in the back of the car, and your Tosh asked me to bring up a heat seeking camera gadget. I’ll go fetch them for you if you like?”

“Thank you, Rhys. Look it’s late, why don’t you take the gear up to the room and join Gwen? You could probably do with some sleep.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll stay in the SUV. I’ll try to keep Ianto company.” 

“You’re worried about him, aren’t you?”

“He’s a member of my team. On a mission I sent him on.” Jack tried to state objectively, not wanting to admit too much to Rhys. “Of course I’m concerned.”

“Bollocks, Harkness! Admit it – if he means anywhere near as much to you as my Gwen does to me, then I know that you won’t stop until you’ve got him safe again. Is that right?”

“Yeah – you’ve got me,” Jack conceded, shaking his head. “Tomorrow morning - I want you and Gwen out of here.” 

“Why?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“I can deal with dangerous,” Rhys retorted, defensively. “After all, I did kill a shape-shifting alien that was impersonating my mother at my own bloody wedding. Or had you forgotten all about that?” 

“Oh yes,” smiled Jack as he recalled the scene in the barn. “Nostrovites never make good wedding guests.”

“Neither do employees of Torchwood for that matter.”

“Hey, Ianto stood in for the DJ that got eaten and-”

“Granted, Ianto was the exception. He was the only one of you lot dressed in a suit, although Tosh did look very pretty in that dress. Pity nobody remembers it but us.”

“Am I meant to be sorry for that?” Jack tilted his chin up, unapologetically, although it occurred to him that he was at least partly responsible for the disaster that had wrecked what should have been a day full of happy memories. 

“It’s OK. Weddings in my family usually end up in a fight. As for Banana Boat, he thinks he managed to cop off with all the bridesmaids and then got so pissed he couldn’t remember it, so it’s probably a blessing in disguise.”

“So, not all bad then? Look, Rhys, go on and look after Gwen. We’ll talk in the morning.”

“I’ll hold you to that. Goodnight, Jack.”

“G’night, Rhys. I’ll see if Ianto is still awake, I’ll have to let him know that I’m not sharing a bed with you and Gwen.”

“What?” The expression on Rhys’ face was priceless and almost brought a smile to Jack’s own face. 

“It’s a private joke. I think he’ll appreciate it.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On his return to the room, Rhys stashed the bags of gear in the bottom of the wardrobe and then focused on getting Gwen undressed and into the bed properly. She was always grumpy as hell if she went to sleep fully dressed. Over their years together, Rhys had become an expert at divesting her of clothing without waking her up. It was a skill he was proud of. He then drifted off to sleep for a while, but was woken by the sound of a grandfather clock, out on the landing, chiming the hour. It had failed to wake Gwen, who was curled up in his arms. As Rhys lay there listening to the sounds of owls still hooting in the trees outside, he wondered if Jack was still awake.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack was wide awake and recounting salacious tales of seduction in warm climes. 

He’d called Owen as soon as Rhys had got up from the picnic bench and been told in no uncertain terms that he had to do whatever he could to keep Ianto conscious. Owen had shouted at him that after one recent episode of hypothermia, Ianto would be at risk if he fell asleep, as his body temperature would then start to fall even faster. Jack could easily imagine Owen pacing up and down whilst ranting at him for being so fucking stupid for even considering that there was an option between keeping Ianto awake or letting him drift into a semi-comatose state. 

The challenge had been good for Jack, it kept his mind occupied and away from thoughts of impending disaster. To keep Ianto awake, he had interwoven stories of his time in the Indian subcontinent early in the twentieth century, with memories of his own home world. He described sands that felt warm beneath your back and what he would like to do with Ianto if he could get him out of the cold, wet climate of his home country. He went into explicit detail and dwelt on the joys of the feeling of sun- warmed bare flesh. 

Research had indicated that thinking of warm places could help counteract the effects of being in a chilly environment, or at least forestall them. Jack prided himself on being a good spinner of yarns and it was imperative that he made these ones good, he needed to make Ianto feel warm and loved, despite the expanse of cold, damp rock that separated them.


	18. Chapter 18

Gwen was surprised to wake up not only inside the bed, but also naked and with company. The mattress was definitely dipping more to the left of her, a heavier body than hers.

All of a sudden, thoughts along the lines of ‘Oh fuck, how many pints did I have?’ sprang to mind. Gwen dared not open her eyes and just as she was starting to feel her face become red with embarrassment, the body next to hers rolled over and an arm was flung about her waist. She emitted a small, involuntary squeal.

“Mornin’ gorgeous. How’s the head?”

“Rhys?!”

“You weren’t expecting to wake up next to anyone else, were you?”

“No. No! Of course not. Um… where’s Jack?”

“In the SUV,” stated Rhys, grimacing at the thought that maybe Gwen had expected to find him in the bed with them. “Did you think I’d do away with him after finding you in bed with him, like?”

“Don’t be daft,” Gwen asserted uneasily, although she did wonder what state she’d been in when Rhys had arrived, especially as she had no recollection of anything after snuggling up to Jack’s warmth on the bed. “I was just making sure he’d not rushed off into the valleys in the middle of the night on a rescue mission.”

“I see,” replied Rhys warily. “As far as I know he stayed in that SUV of his overnight. But I could see was tempted to go looking for Ianto, that’s why most of the caving gear is still locked up in the back of my car.”

“I don’t suppose you could go find him?” asked Gwen. She needed to know for certain that Jack had kept his word and not mounted a one-man rescue mission. 

“Let me use the bathroom first. Then I’ll go look for him while you grab a shower. I’ll meet you downstairs for breakfast-”

“Oh Rhys,” Gwen bit her lip as she saw his face fall. “I’m so sorry, love, but they aren’t doing breakfast. It’s off season -”

“That’s where you’re wrong, sweetheart.” Rhys grinned knowingly. “After getting you settled last night, I went back to the bar and had a little chat with the landlady. Lovely woman she is, promised me she’d rustle up something for a cooked breakfast for the three of us.”

Rhys then gave Gwen a messy, exuberant kiss on the kips and then bounced out of the bed. As he walked towards the en-suite, the sight of his magnificent naked arse made Gwen inordinately proud of her husband. She was glad he was there with her, despite the danger, because his company made her feel so much stronger. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The landlady had thrown a white tablecloth over one of the tables in the bar and made a fuss over bringing plates full of eggs, bacon, mushrooms and toast to the two men and the woman from Cardiff. Rhys had explained to her last night about how he’d come up to join his wife and their friend and how much he’d been looking forward to a good hearty breakfast. She’d warmed to the young man in a way she hadn’t to the American who’d smashed some of the furniture in the room they’d been given. The roll of twenty pound notes he’d given her in the morning to pay for damages was all well and good, but she never did like a man with a temper like that.

Rhys sighed as he watched Jack and Gwen push the food around their plates, saying they didn’t have much of an appetite. He told Gwen it would help with her hangover and then he resorted to guilt as a means to getting them to finish the cooked breakfasts, claiming that they’d be bloody useless in the caverns if their stomachs started grumbling out loud, alerting any bad guys with echoes reverberating through the caves.

Truth be told, the pragmatic approach taken by Rhys was good for Gwen, it grounded her, keeping her emotions in check. It was also beneficial to Jack, anchoring him to what had to be done, rather than what might be going on somewhere that he had no control over. 

After breakfast, they convened in the car park. Rhys and Jack hauled the ropes and heavier caving gear from the boot of Rhys’ car into the back of the SUV, whilst Gwen checked for messages from Tosh and Owen. There was a lengthy message from Owen explaining, in layman’s terms, how to deal with a plethora of injuries that he thought could be inflicted on Ianto, starting out basic and ending with life-threatening. At the end of the message he finished with: ‘Fuck it, ignore all that and just get him to a bloody hospital and call me.’

Tosh had sent them an email with an attachment in the early hours of the morning. She had marked the email as urgent and advised they run the program as soon as possible. Gwen dashed over to Jack and pulled him over to the SUV. Rhys joined them and watched with baited breath as Gwen installed the software. They were all enthralled to see a three-dimensional map of the cave systems appear before their eyes, and, best of all, superimposed on it was a small, flashing red light, indicating Ianto’s position. Gwen’s hunch had been right, he was being held in Ddraig yr Ogof, in one of the deeper, less accessible networks of caves, but now they knew exactly where he was. 

“Oh you are brilliant, Tosh.” Jack grinned broadly for the first time in days. With this program they would be able to find Ianto wherever he was taken. 

Jack walked off to get in touch with Ianto, he needed to let him know that they had managed to locate him and that he had to keep to his promise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto smiled to himself. Knowing that Jack and the others were able to pinpoint his position made him feel significantly safer. It made him feel that Jack was that much closer to him. The comfort provided succeeded in making him feel considerably warmer.

He was still too cold, but he’d managed to keep dry and he’d been doing some press ups and other activities to keep his muscles warmed up. Although it used up energy reserves and he didn’t know when, or if, his captors had any intention of feeding him, he’d agreed with Jack that the other option of letting sleep take over would have drained him even more. It also helped that Jack had given him regular time checks throughout the night, avoiding the descent into anxiety that the loss of sense of time would have instilled in him. The lack of visual stimuli was a form of sensory deprivation, but Jack had managed to conjure up enough positive, extremely vivid, images to keep him from imagining the worst. 

Ianto knew that it was now just after 8:30 in the morning and although he was tired, at least he wasn’t going to be caught unawares by Morgan and his cronies. 

It wasn’t long before the two thugs, the ones who had dragged him back through the caves the previous day, arrived to escort him back to the warmth of Morgan’s office as he expected. Ianto was relieved to see that Morgan was nowhere in sight, or scent for that matter. He was told that there was a toilet as well as washing facilities at the back of the Portakabin and that he should make use of them before the others arrived. Although a hot shower would have been welcome, Ianto was pleased not to be put in the vulnerable position of being without his clothes in Morgan’s quarters. He was still handcuffed, so washing wasn’t easy, but the small basin filled with hot water, from a small electric heater, provided a welcome source of warmth. 

When he ventured out into the area where Morgan had searched him, he found that the furniture had been rearranged whilst he’d been cleaning up. A table had been placed in the centre, with four chairs around it, one set further back than the others. Seated around the table were Morgan and two other men, one of whom he recognised as Gates. The third man was probably in his forties, dark-haired and grey-eyed. 

On the table, in front of Gates, was a tea tray. It was a surreal touch, the china teapot, sugar bowl and milk jug accompanied by three cups and saucers, as well as a small plate of digestive biscuits. Ianto wondered if maybe he was hallucinating, or whether it had been set up deliberately to make him think that was the case. Either way it was undeniably unsettling.

Ianto was made to sit down in the chair to one side and his cuffs removed to allow them to strap his hands down to each arm of the chair with plastic restraints. 

“Prepare him.” The dark-haired man pointed at Ianto as he issued his curt instruction.

Ianto rolled his eyes as Morgan once more stepped behind him, but this time it was his shirt that was unbuttoned. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Ianto struggled even though he knew it was futile. He had to maintain the impression that he was not expecting this treatment. 

“You’ll find out soon enough.” Morgan’s proximity was accompanied yet again by the smell of his overpowering aftershave.

Morgan tugged the shirt free from Ianto’s jeans and then pulled it open, exposing his chest. 

“This really is getting beyond a joke. Even the freemasons don’t go this far-”

“You’re going to have to shave that,” stated the stranger disdainfully, interrupting Ianto’s protests.

“What?” Ianto exclaimed, genuinely shocked.

Morgan smiled and left the room briefly, returning with a disposable razor and a can of shaving mousse.

“I hope that’s a fresh one,” muttered Ianto. “I’d hate to get blood poisoning from a rusty razor.”

Morgan sprayed some of the mousse into his hands and smeared it either side of Ianto’s nipples, taking pleasure into smoothing it into the skin. He then dragged the razor across Ianto’s chest, removing short swathes of chest hair on either side.

Meanwhile, the dark-haired man placed a case on the table and opened it to remove an electronic unit, as well as a number of leads with electrodes attached.

“Ah – is this the medical then?” asked Ianto with exaggerated naiveté. “That looks a bit like a portable twelve lead ECG machine.”

Ianto knew he wouldn’t be answered, but he needed to let Jack know what was going on. He’d already heard muttered curses and threats in his ear and could only imagine the state Jack was getting himself into.

“They’re going to use that as a lie detector. Remember the drills we went through … remember the training. Ianto, please let me know you can do this…”

“OK then, I’ll answer my own question then. So I’m thinking yes.”

“I’ll need to establish some baseline readings first,” said the dark-haired man as he got up from his seat and moved towards Ianto.

“Of course, Barton,” said Gates, nodding absently as he poured himself a cup of tea.

Barton then took a stethoscope from his case and pressed it to Ianto’s chest to check his heart sounds and pulse rate.

“I’m surprised you haven’t got something a little more high-tech,” ventured Ianto, trying to make conversation so that he could keep talking and keep Jack informed as much as possible.

“Be careful what you wish for, Jones,” Morgan responded as he took a seat next to Gates.

“I didn’t say I didn’t like his stethoscope-”

“What happened here?” Barton asked with annoyance.

Ianto felt his shirt being tugged away from his side and muffled a groan as the dried blood was pulled free. The cut in his side reopened, causing a trickle of warm blood to flow down his side.

“Self-defence. He put up a fight when we picked him up.” 

Ianto raised an eyebrow at the blatant lie being provided as an excuse for one of Morgan’s thug’s over-enthusiastic use of a knife. 

“I’m surprised it’s not infected – that’s a nasty looking cut.”

Ianto was pleased to hear Jack’s voice in his ear confirming his suspicions: _“I bet that’s my antibodies still looking out for you.”_

“I’ll put some steri-strips on it for the time being.”

Barton tore open a packet of alcohol wipes to disinfect the area and then taped across with a few steri- strips. Then he placed a dressing over the top and taped it in place. He didn’t seem to want to waste too much time on it; he just appeared irritated by the mess it had made.

“I’ll stitch it up properly later. That’s if you decide to keep him, Morgan.” 

“I’m not a stray dog!” blurted out Ianto indignantly. “I wasn’t aware that I was up for adoption as anyone’s pet.”

“Really? From what we’ve gathered, you were Harkness’ private plaything,” Morgan winked at Ianto. “Knowing what we know of that man’s sordid tastes, I’m sure you could prove quite entertaining…” 

“Fuck you, Morgan!” Ianto snapped, with feeling. 

“Is that a promise?” Morgan pouted as he deliberately lowered his gaze to rest on Ianto’s crotch. 

“Please, Nick, let Barton do his job,” Gates spoke up, sounding mildly disgusted with Morgan. “Once we’ve finished with Mr Jones, you can have fun with whatever’s left to play with.”

_“That does it!”_ Jack snarled in Ianto’s ear, sounding as if he was barely controlling his anger. _“I’m not hanging around, Ianto – we’re coming in after you!”_

“Don’t feel that you need to rush on my account,” Ianto said with a timid smile, wondering how futile his suggestion would be to either the men in the room or to Jack. 

“Good grief, are those your teeth marks, Nick?” Barton was inspecting Ianto’s head and had discovered Morgan’s handiwork from the previous day. “I’m getting sick and tired of patching them up after you’ve lost control. Looks like you’ve torn the pinna quite badly, and considering that human bites can cause particularly unpleasant infections, I’m going to have to clean this up before we can get started.”

Barton was evidently extremely annoyed that Morgan had caused physical damage to Ianto. It was also apparent that it wasn’t uncommon for Yvonne’s ex-teaboy to inflict injuries on others that required medical attention. Ianto wasn’t particularly surprised and, as the doctor gently wiped the dried blood from his ear, he could see from the expression on Morgan’s face that he intended him nothing but further harm.

Ianto almost wished that the doctor was pressing hard enough to disconnect the communication device. Jack’s reactions were painful to listen to and he very much wanted to spare him from whatever was going to happen next.


	19. Chapter 19

Barton applied the electrodes to the skin on Ianto’s chest, arms and legs in a methodical pattern. He had got Morgan to remove Ianto’s trainers and socks to shave his ankles to ensure a good connection for those electrodes, a particularly disconcerting experience for Ianto, who had cringed as Morgan touched his feet. 

Ianto couldn’t work out what his captors were up to. They all knew that he’d been trained at One, so they would have been aware that he could withstand such basic devices for ascertaining the truth. He frowned as he wondered what the hell these men were planning.

“You look confused, Mr Jones.”

“No, not really. I suppose it makes sense that you’d want to check the validity of any information you got from me by monitoring my heart rate-”

“Out of interest, tell us how Harkness would get the truth out of a suspect?”

“Seeing as I’m strapped to a chair with electrodes attached to my chest, I really can’t see how divulging any additional tips on interrogation would work in my favour. So if it’s all the same to you, I’ll pass on that question.”

“Never mind – maybe you’ll be more willing to talk about that later.”

“It really is just an ECG,” Gates explained. “Barton here will be using it to monitor your responses in conjunction with a rather exquisite cocktail of drugs we usually administer. One component slows the heart rate down, eliminating any anomalies caused by factors in the immediate environment that may influence the results obtained. Another interferes with the ability to concentrate, making it more difficult for a person to focus on what they’re saying. We find that this procedure is very reliable.”

Whilst Gates had been describing, in almost painstaking detail, the method he intended to employ in order to interrogate Ianto, Barton had busied himself checking the leads that were connected to his ECG equipment. Once satisfied that all was in place, Barton took a syringe from his case and a small, sealed bottle of liquid. There was no possible way Ianto could avoid this, he just hoped that Jack would remember their drills as well as he did.

Barton wrapped a rubber tourniquet around Ianto’s arm and then selected a bulging vein into which he carefully injected the contents of his syringe. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the SUV, Jack was listening in on Ianto’s interrogation. He had forced himself to say as little as possible, he could not afford to interfere with Ianto’s responses as a consequence of his own reactions. There was too much at stake. He had got Gwen to drive and kept the link with the Hub open so that Tosh and Owen could share any thoughts with them. Tosh was also monitoring the 3-D plan of the cave network, so the whole team could see exactly where Ianto was and were able to hear what was going on in the room where he was being held. 

“Jack?” prompted Owen, sounding more than a little anxious. “I really don’t like the sound of what those bastards have in mind.”

“Any particular concerns?” demanded Jack.

“That mixture of drugs on top of what he’s been through in the past week, coupled with lack of sleep and anxiety… he’s not ready for this.”

“Ianto and I went through various interrogation scenarios. He can hold his own for a while, but I appreciate what you’re saying, Owen. Is it possible to evaluate his condition remotely?”

“I can make educated guesses from his breathing patterns and vocal clues, but it’s not going to be of much fucking help-”

“Whatever you can do, Owen – anything.”

The occupants of the SUV became silent once more, although all were busy. Rhys was map reading for Gwen. Jack was making plans of his own.

“Gwen, love, you need to take the track up here on the left. There should be a place where you can pull over not far from where the old footpath can be accessed.”

“Thanks.”

“Faster, Gwen, faster,” urged Jack. “I’ve got a feeling in my gut that we’re running out of time.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Barton was studying the read-out on his equipment and when he could see that Ianto’s heart rate had settled at just under sixty beats per minute, he looked up and nodded his head. 

Gates set down his cup into the saucer with care and taking a pen from his jacket pocket, he opened a notepad and commenced his questioning.

“Did Harkness send you?”

“No. Your colleagues issued an invitation that I couldn’t refuse.”

“Did Harkness let us take you?”

“What do you think?”

“I think he planned for us to take possession of both you and the piece of technology in that box.” 

Gates pointed at the metal container that Morgan was cradling in his hands. Ianto hadn’t seen him put it on the table, but he had been trying to avoid looking in the blonde man’s direction. He tried not to let its proximity bother him, but the way the palms of his hands began to sweat indicated that the effect was definitely physiological as well as emotional. They’d pick up on that for certain. 

“Gates –” Barton alerted the man to the reaction he’d detected.

“It’s alright, Barton. I was expecting a response to that. It would seem to confirm that Jones was unaware that Harkness used him as bait and couldn’t give a damn what happened to him.” Gates smiled smugly. “Tell us about your relationship with Harkness.”

“Relationship?” Ianto scoffed as if that had been the funniest thing he’d heard all day. “He’s my boss.”

“Most staff don’t let their bosses fuck them-” Morgan leaned towards Ianto, his blonde fringe falling into his eyes.

“Really? From what I heard you were only too happy to offer your services to Yvonne.” Ianto interrupted Morgan so that he wouldn’t have to listen to whatever he was going to add.

“Touché, Mr Jones,” Gates tapped his pen on the edge of the table. “Back to my questions, if you please. What are your feelings for Captain Harkness?”

“Feelings? Oh let me see – there are times when I hate the bastard, he pisses me off, he’s made me feel frustrated, angry, hurt, vulnerable, undervalued, second-best… Seriously– you want the entire list?” Ianto rolled his eyes to reinforce the fact that his feelings for Jack were far from simple. That was the truth and he knew Jack would understand. 

“Those will do for now, thank you.” Gates grimaced – there could be no doubt that Jones was telling the truth, which ran counter to their initial suspicions. He’d thought that there was a possibility that Jones possessed unwavering loyalty to Harkness, that he was being used, but the honest reaction he’d seen hinted at genuine loathing.

“If you like, I could give you a whole catalogue of feelings I’ve had for Jack Harkness in the past and present.”

“No, really, that will not be necessary,” Gates shook his head, no longer interested in that line of questioning. “However, I would like to know why Harkness didn’t die when I shot him in the back with the disruptor.”

“What?” Ianto asked as if not understanding the question at all.

“When I visited your base in Cardiff, Harkness should have died from that level of discharge. Why didn’t he?”

“Disruptor? I didn’t see him get shot. I’m sorry, I can’t answer your question.”

“True, you were unconscious at the time,” Gate nodded, satisfied with the answer Ianto had provided, even though he detected some evasion. “Perhaps you can answer this question then: can Harkness die?”

“He is human, if that’s what you’re wondering,” frowned Ianto. “Yes, he can die.”

“That’s good to know,” Gates made a few notes, smiling in a sinister fashion.

“Does he fuck Gwen Cooper as well?” Morgan asked, yet again attempting to rile Ianto, exploiting the pause in questions from Gates.

“Why ask me?” Ianto rolled his eyes.

“Answer his question, Jones,” Barton insisted. “It obviously bothers you, if the ECG reading is anything to go by.” 

“He has feelings for Gwen,” Ianto sighed heavily. “He has done since he first set eyes on her. I really don’t know how far he got with her.”

“Past tense?”

“She’s married now.”

“From your less then discreet argument in public, you gave the impression that you thought they were involved with one another. Is that true or not?”

“I think that given the opportunity, they would sleep together, yes.”

“How would that make you feel?”

“Disappointed.”

“Tell us about Lisa.”

Gates threw the name out as if it was a piece of screwed up paper that he was tossing into a bin. Ianto could tell it was deliberate and had to fight not to lose control, although the drugs coursing through his veins were making that more and more difficult. 

“She was my girlfriend. She died at Canary Wharf.” The words hurt as Ianto forced them out. 

“How?” 

“Converted.” He managed the one-word answer, even though he thought it would stick in his throat. 

_“Breathe slowly, Ianto, come on now, breathe …”_ Jack’s words reminded him of their discussions back at the Hub.

“She wasn’t on the official lists of converted,” Gates shook his head as he looked towards Barton.

“He’s not lying,” stated Barton, with a slight frown.

“There was no record of her converted body being disposed of-” started Gates.

“There was a lot of confusion – she must have been missed off –”

“The thing is, Mr Jones, we don’t require a lie detector to know for a fact that you are not being entirely truthful.” Gates put his pen down and folded his hands under his chin. “Morgan – if you please?”

Morgan gave Ianto an ominous smile as he moved to one side of the room and switched on a projector. As the light gradually grew in brightness, a frozen image appeared on the blank wall opposite where Ianto was sitting. Morgan signalled for the lights to be dimmed. Barton continued to monitor the ECG reading whilst Gates stared at Ianto.

The images began to move – showing Ianto dragging Lisa’s semi-converted form down a stairwell. The images were blurred, it looked like someone had been trying to film what was happening as they attempted to escape the tower. However, there was no mistaking who the two figures were. 

“Now, let me ask you that question again. What happened to Lisa?”

“I told you. She died.”

“How?”

“Conversion. The Cybermen killed her.”

“Your heart is racing now, one hundred and thirty beats per minute,” observed Barton. “Is that because of how you felt about Lisa or how you felt about her death?”

“Both!” responded Ianto with feeling.

“Why did you join Torchwood Three?”

“I had nowhere else to go.”

“You stalked Harkness until he gave you a job.”

“Yep.”

“You were desperate. You’d have done anything to get into Torchwood Cardiff. Why was that?”

“Like I said before, I had no choice.”

“I don’t think you’re telling us the whole story.” Gates leaned forward, getting as close as possible to Ianto, staring into his eyes.

“There’s nothing else to tell.”

“Now, now Mr Jones, that is very much a blatant lie. I have to inform you that this is the part of the interview where we let you know that you have no option but to work for us.”

“Why are you so keen on me working for you?”

“You have certain areas of expertise that we could use.”

“Coffee-making?”

“Oh no, much more useful than that. In fact, for a while you were in very close communication with a colleague of ours. I’m sure you remember Doctor Tanizaki. Don’t you?”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at.”

“We always wondered how he’d managed to disappear without trace, but now we know. Don’t even bother lying, we know the truth. In fact, we know so much about your … shall we say your close involvement with cyber technology, we not only have reason to value any contribution you could make to our team here, but we also have a way of persuading you to stay.”

“I really don’t know what you’re on about-”

“Ah, but you will soon enough. Soon enough. Let me put it this way, we have compiled a dossier, ready to despatch to UNIT, with sufficient damning evidence for them to issue an immediate order for your arrest. I do believe that the death sentence can still be enforced for treason. Even should you manage to evade that, they will, without doubt, lock you up and throw away the key. Your only future is with us now.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Short, but emotional.

“There it is!” yelled Rhys, tapping on Gwen’s shoulder as he pointed at a rough layby on the side of the narrow road. “You’re going to go straight past it!”

Gwen wrenched the steering wheel to one side, while slamming the brakes on. She managed to swerve to the side of the road, pulling up on the gravel, with one of the front wheels dipping into a pothole. 

“What the fuck was that all about, Jack?” Gwen swivelled in her seat to face Jack. “What are those bastards talking about?”

“I don’t know, Gwen!” Jack answered, his voice laced with worry. “Tosh? Listen up – get on to whoever you can get hold of at UNIT. Do whatever you can to persuade them that any information they receive on Ianto has been fabricated. Then initiate the emergency mobilisation procedure – I need them to have a force on standby to destroy an alien weapons facility. Got that? Owen? I need you to get your ass up here as soon as you can!”

“I’m onto it, Jack,” replied Tosh. “Owen’s on his way to the garage already. I’ve provided him with a back-up earpiece. He’ll continue monitoring Ianto whilst he’s on the road. Good luck, Jack.” 

Wanting to be useful, Rhys had already made his exit from the back door of the SUV and was busy assembling the bags of caving gear they would need. He could tell from the frantic voices in the car that the situation had just taken a nose dive for the worse.

“Directions?” demanded Jack as he threw open the passenger door and ran around to join Rhys.

Pushing Rhys to one side, Jack tucked the medical kit that Owen had put together into the largest of the back packs and then swung it onto his shoulders. 

“Quarter of a mile along the track, you’ll cross a stream. You’ll need follow that upstream, heading north until it disappears into the hillside. It’ll probably be overgrown and not look as if there’s room to squeeze through. But there’s a narrow crevice where the stream comes out and that leads into the main chamber. It’s narrow to start with, but opens out.”

“Got it,” confirmed Jack, memorising the directions. “You and Gwen stay here. I want you standing by –” 

“I’m going with you-” Gwen began to argue, but realised it was pointless.

“No. I’m going in alone. No arguments.” 

Jack’s stony expression gave little away, but he had to do this on his own. He didn’t want either Gwen or Rhys to witness what he would do if he found Morgan, or any of the others for that matter. 

Not waiting for either of them to argue with his decision, Jack turned away and began to jog along the muddy track. As the heavy load jostled with each stride, Jack whispered what he hoped would be words of comfort to Ianto.

“Ianto – I’m on my way. Don’t listen to those bastards. There’s no fucking way I’m letting anyone arrest you. They’re bullshitting you. Hang on. Say whatever you need to - just stay in one piece, please…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Let’s talk about Tanizaki. Your colleagues made a good effort to remove any trace of him ever having visited Cardiff. To an idle observer it seems that he flew into Heathrow, checked in at the Hotel Marriott, where his luggage was found, and was never seen again. However, we know for a fact that he was in Cardiff. You see, he was working for us.”

Ianto grew increasingly alarmed as this was not what either he of Jack had anticipated. It had never occurred to him for one minute that he’d been set up that long ago. It meant that everything they’d assumed was wrong. Despite Jack’s attempts to keep him centred, he was starting to panic.

“I see that’s news to you,” Gates smiled, delighted to see his victim squirm. “His mission was to evaluate the cyber tech you’d smuggled out of Canary Wharf. Test its functionality.”

Ianto squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to let Gates see the effect that he was having by referring to what had been left of Lisa as nothing more than a piece of alien tech.

“Tanizaki was meant to report back to us after his preliminary assessment. But we never heard back from him.”

Gates waited to see what impact his revelation had on Ianto before getting up out of his seat. He took the metal box from Morgan and placed it directly in front of Ianto. 

“Do you want to see what’s inside?”

“I’d rather not,” Ianto said nonchalantly, despite the fact that the beads of sweat on his forehead were betraying his true feelings.

“Why not? Do you think it’s booby-trapped perhaps? Maybe Harkness has sent you in with a bomb?”

“Maybe he has.” Ianto nervously swallowed, his mouth suddenly very dry. “I wouldn’t put it past him.”

“Pulse now at 158, tachycardic,” Barton calmly informed Gates that Ianto’s heart rate had risen rapidly. “And it’s becoming irregular. How interesting.” 

“Well, considering what that box contains,” Gates replied. “I’m not really surprised.”

_“He’s just guessing, Ianto. He doesn’t know. He’s bluffing… Hang on in there…I’m on my way, not far now…”_

“Before disappearing so mysteriously, Tanizaki made an important breakthrough on our behalf. His research discovered that Cyber power conversion units display intelligent learning mechanisms.”

“Fascinating,” said Ianto, wishing yet again that he’d spent more time digging into Tanizaki’s background before letting him lay his hands on Lisa.

“Yes, indeed. You see, there’s a memory component that allows it to accommodate to new situations based on previous experiences. In basic weapons, it is limited to make adjustments to voltage and current settings, whatever is required to kill. The more sophisticated the Cyber technology that the power cell comes from, the greater its capacity for a range of memory inputs.”

Ianto breathing was becoming faster and each breath was shallower than the last. Morgan had got up from his seat to stand behind him and had his hands firmly placed on Ianto’s shoulders pushing him down into the chair. The two henchmen had moved from the door to stand either side of him, increasing the sensation of claustrophobia. He felt well and truly trapped, like a fly in the web of a particularly sadistic spider.

“Before we lost our esteemed colleague, Doctor Tanizaki designed an interface. Brilliant piece of technology,” said Gates with excitement. His voice becoming more and more animated as he launched into an area that obviously thrilled him. “It allowed us to download the memory input from the power cells we salvaged from Torchwood One.”

“I though most of those ended up being sucked back into the Void?” asked Ianto, even though he knew it wasn’t the case. He just wanted to forestall Gates. He had a horrible feeling building in his chest, he could hardly breathe. 

Gates grinned gleefully as he placed a small black device on the table, no bigger than a phone charger. 

“Not all of them. But the ones we did find were damaged. Until yesterday, we had recovered no more than a few images of power discharges, and dead bodies at most. Until now that is.” Gates paused for effect as he slid the box closer to Ianto. “This power cell came from a Cyberman. So far we’ve managed to recover the last twenty minutes of memory input and convert it into audiovisual output.”

_“Oh no, Ianto – please believe me- I didn’t know – I swear, I never knew…”_

Gates lifted the lid of the box to remove the power cell. Ianto watched with a growing sense of despair as the scientist connected the power cell to the interface. He felt detached from reality, his mind barely registering what Gates was saying. He took a deep breath to try to steady himself. He focused on the mantra ‘in through the nose, out through the mouth’ and tried desperately to slow his breathing rate before he hyperventilated. He tried to moisten his lips, but his mouth was far too dry.

“I think it’s time we shared with you the last memories of the Cyberman that this power cell came from.”

“No!!” screamed Ianto, automatically panicking, no longer able to keep his feelings contained. He tried to struggle free, but the hands that held him in place tightened their grip.

Morgan grabbed hold of his head and moved his hands around to force Ianto to look at the screen, fingers pulling his eyelids open.

One by one, images unfolded before his eyes, accompanied by sickening sounds.

A tableau of horrific scenes opened up like the gates of hell and dragged him in without pity. Shiny, metallic blades, sharp and sinister looking, suddenly wet and glistening with fresh blood. Flesh- pink and grey. Skulls and faces - disfigured, mutilated. 

He was bombarded by the sounds of screaming and pleas for mercy. The machinery whirring, buzzing, cutting, slicing. A surreal conversation and then, at the very last, gunshots. 

Ianto stared at the last image, frozen on the screen. It was his own face gazing back at him, streaked with tears, snot and blood. The sounds had become muffled and he couldn’t make out the voices.

He felt his head falling forward as he began to plunge into the darkness. His vision faded from the edges inwards, the room folded in about him, and as he fell into the abyss, he thought he heard sobbing, but he made no sound until his head hit the table.


	21. Chapter 21

Jack dropped to his knees at the side of the stream. The impact of what he’d heard had dealt him a blow as if he’d been physically struck down. Those bastards had achieved psychologically what Morgan had failed to do physically. They had violated Ianto’s mind and broken him. What would he do if Ianto was damaged beyond repair? 

He swore that he would destroy them for this. 

But what hurt most was the fact that Jack, himself, had provided them with the weapon with which to wreak such destruction. He’d actually sent Ianto in with it. Whatever happened next, he was as much to blame as they were. If only he’d found a way to destroy every single part of the Cyberwoman’s body. If only he’d known they were after Ianto all along. 

Jack berated himself - his own damned arrogance and foolhardiness had come with too high a price tag this time, and it may have cost Ianto his very sanity.

If this mission had been a chess game, and Ianto the pawn put into play, it would seem that he was the piece they most wanted to steal. And Jack had delivered him to them, his most loyal friend, his lover. He had sent him into the hands of those who could hurt him the most.

Jack wondered why Gates hadn’t just taken Ianto when he’d invaded the Hub – they must have thought he’d been dying from the virus at the time. But now they knew he was not going to die, they not only wanted him alive, they wanted him willing to work with them. This was all about controlling him, getting him into a state where he wouldn’t have the will to leave. 

As angry tears rolled down his face, Jack slammed his clenched fists over and over again onto boulders strewn in the stream bed. He didn’t care as his knuckles became swollen and bruised or when the skin split, spilling his blood into the stream, smearing the stones with streaks of red. 

It took the sound of Owen shouting in his ear to break through to him in his pit of self-loathing and recrimination.

“Jack, I got Tosh to patch me in to this frequency. I know what you’re thinking. You’re blaming yourself and thinking of what you’re going to do to those bastards. Don’t! Just snap the fuck out of it! Your priority has to be Ianto. You’ve got to get him out. We’ll deal with those fucking bastards later. Just. Get. Him. Out.” 

Jack scrambled to his feet, angrily brushing the tears from his face, he’d already wasted far too much time. Owen was right of course, there would be time for revenge later – after they got Ianto to safety. Then there would be hell to pay. 

“Tosh – can you hear me?” Jack called out as he started to jog along the rough pathway alongside the stream.

“Jack!”

“Talk to me, Tosh – are you still able to track Ianto’s position?”

“Yes – he’s barely moved.”

“But he has been moved in the last few minutes?”

“Yes, but not far-”

“I need to know if Gates and Morgan said anything else, after -”

“After they played back Lisa’s last memories? Oh God, Jack – there was no way you could have known what was in that power cell.”

“I should have found out before letting Ianto walk into their trap with it, Tosh. Don’t let me off on this one. I’m not. Now, tell me, did you pick up on any further conversation? I must’ve zoned out, I couldn’t hear-”

“Nothing of any relevance. Morgan got him moved into a back room, that’s all I picked up.”

Tosh didn’t tell Jack everything that she had heard. The soft whimpers that they’d picked up from Ianto. She was horrified by what had transpired and if she was worried about Ianto before, her fears had doubled since hearing what had happened. 

As Jack absorbed what Tosh was saying, he suddenly realised what the implications were of Morgan having Ianto moved into another room.

“What? What about Morgan?” A red mist threatened to descend on Jack and not leave him until he had torn that bastard Morgan limb from limb. “Did he go with them?” 

“No! Morgan, Gates and Barton, they all left. It sounded as if they were leaving someone to stand guard over Ianto. Morgan told them he’d return in half an hour.”

“Half an hour?” repeated Jack, wondering just how much time he’d wasted. He wished that he could dump the backpack that was slowing him down as it got caught in overhead branches, but didn’t dare – not knowing how much he’d need its contents.

“I’m tracking you as well, Jack. You’re making good progress. I’ll download the latest schematic of the cave system onto your PDA to show your position as well as Ianto’s.”

“Thanks, Tosh,” panted Jack as he increased his pace, not bothering to dodge branches that whipped at his face. He quickly glanced at his watch. He had less than twenty minutes to get to Ianto. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen was sat in the SUV. Rhys’ arm about her shoulders.

“Jack will get him out of there. You know he will,” Rhys said, doing his best to try to reassure Gwen. “I don’t fancy the chances of any of those guys getting in his way.” 

He felt that his reassurances were hollow, he hadn’t a clue what had just happened, all he knew was that Gwen had fallen to pieces next to him.

“What the bloody hell was all that about, Gwen love?”

“Long story, Rhys. I don’t know all the facts myself. Let’s just say that if you could imagine the worst possible images a person could see – the last moments from the life of a person you loved, but they were already beyond saving, and you could see it from their point of view…”

Although Rhys still couldn’t fathom exactly what Gwen was talking about, the tears flowing freely across her cheeks and over her lips, the way her whole body was shaking, that was enough for him to know that whatever they had done to Ianto was something more dreadful than any of the team had anticipated. 

“Is there nothing we can do?” He looked up the track in the direction that Jack had set off. He felt that maybe they should follow. 

“I wish there was, Rhys, but I feel so bloody useless. All I know is that Jack wanted us to wait here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Owen slammed his fist down on the steering wheel in anger. 

“Shit!”

Physical injuries he could patch up, but this type of damage couldn’t be fixed with sutures and antibiotics. He hated dealing with psychological traumas; he never had been much good at the counselling aspect of the profession. 

He hoped he had got through to Jack. He could well imagine what he would want to do to the men responsible. He could think of a few things he’d like to inflict on them. It occurred to him that no one could hold him to the Hippocratic Oath if he wasn’t technically alive.

Owen was also painfully aware that, in the circumstances, it would only do more harm to Ianto to witness that sort of rage in Jack. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several miles away on a desolate hillside, Jack had reached the opening to the cave system that Rhys had described to him. The gap was too narrow to get through with the back pack on and it would only slow him down, so he took a chance and ditched it, hiding it under a thicket of bramble. Before hiding it, he took out a coil of rope, that he looped over his neck and under his right arm, and a few extra items that he tucked into the deep inside pockets of his great coat. He didn’t bother with the helmet, but did slip the caving head torch on. 

Wriggling through the overgrowing plants, scratching himself in the process, Jack managed to scrape his way through the fracture in the cliff side and into the darkness beyond. He switched on the head torch and checked the PDA clutched in his right hand. As promised, Tosh had managed to add his signal to that of the 3D display of the cave networks. He was relieved that he could see exactly where he was in relation to Ianto’s position. 

It transpired that the quickest route was also the wettest one, as it entailed following the stream that had cut through the hillside to form the caves in the first place, millennia ago. Despite his desire to hurry, the slipperiness of the rocks and the loose shale were all conspiring to slow him down. He was cursing and grumbling under his breath. The need for a stealthy approach was at conflict with the necessity of moving fast. He looked at the time on the bottom right of his PDA. He had less than ten minutes left to reach Ianto before Morgan was due to return. 

Sweating profusely now, despite the chill air in the caves, Jack stumbled on the uneven floor of the cave. He was in a section where the ceiling was low and he had to crouch down to shuffle through slowly. The tails of his coat had soaked up water from the floor and weighed heavily behind him, slowing him down even further. This only added to his anxiety to get to Ianto before any more harm could be done. He was growing more nervous with every passing minute.

Emerging into a more open area, Jack took another torch from his pocket and shone it across the floor, moving the beam of light up the walls until he caught sight of something that didn’t look natural – a pipe. Looking at his PDA he guessed that it was the same pipe that Ianto had told him about, the one he’d been chained to overnight. It was just a few inches off the ground, running along the base of the wall. Referring to the display once more, he worked out that if he followed the wall upwards, the cavern should open up after an incline and a sharp turn to the left.

Jack started to move with more care, wary that any warning of his approach could get Ianto killed. He was relying on just the head torch, which he tilted so that it pointed towards the ground, not wanting to light up too much of the cave in front of him. Gradually he crept to the corner, beyond which should be the cavern he was heading for. He could see light on the walls and as he peered around the corner he could see the Portakabin that held Ianto, nestled to the side, under an overhang of rock. Yellowish light spilled out of the windows, casting long shadows of the contorted rock formations across the wet floor of the cave. He could hear nothing now, except for the persistent dripping of water that echoed eerily all about him.

There was no one to be seen outside the door, so he assumed that any guards stationed to watch over Ianto would be inside. In a way that made it easier, especially if they were under the impression that they were preventing an escape rather than an incursion. 

Carefully, he adjusted the earpiece for communicating with Ianto. He whispered softly, hoping against hope that he could hear him, would know that he was close. 

What he wasn’t prepared for was the sound of Morgan’s voice. He’d been too slow. He was too late. He shoved the PDA into a pocket and pulled out two guns. He was fully prepared to kill anyone who got in his way.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Warning - the start of this chapter describe a non-con scene. Jack is on his way to effect a rescue, but this scene may trouble some readers.**
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ianto was lying on his back. His feet bare, his shirt open, his eyes empty.

He was vaguely aware of an unpleasantly familiar smell, reminiscent of cheap aftershave. He tried to move away from its source, realising that it was rekindling the sensation of nausea, only to find that he was pinned to a bed. A heavy weight was pressing him down into the hard mattress. He could feel hard knees gripping either side of his hips.

“Wakey, wakey. I told you I’d have you in my bed sooner or later. Come on, don’t tempt me to fuck you while you’re unconscious. You owe me. What I really want is to hear you scream as I screw –”

Morgan never got the chance to finish what he was going to say. The door had swung open behind him, slamming against the wall. He turned to face the door, about to tear a strip off the idiot that dared interrupt his fun, but his words caught in his throat as he caught sight of two bodies lying crumpled on the floor of the outer room. 

The doorway itself was filled with the imposing silhouette of a man wearing a long coat. There was no light on in Morgan’s bedroom, so he failed to witness the expression of incandescent rage and absolute loathing on the face of his executioner. The last thing his eyes were drawn to was a flash of light glinting on the barrel of a gun.

As a hail of bullets slammed into Morgan’s chest, his body twisted around grotesquely. An arterial fountain of blood splashed across the Ianto’s bare skin as he lay trapped beneath the body of his tormentor.

Jack rushed forward to grab hold of Morgan, yanking him roughly off of Ianto and onto the floor. He crouched down next to Ianto, who hadn’t moved or said a word since he’d entered the small room. 

“Ianto? Talk to me, please.” Jack gently stroked his face, desperate for some reaction, anything other than the blank expression on the pale face, speckled with drops of blood. “Please say something - anything.” 

But Ianto said nothing, remaining silent as Jack pulled him up and into his arms. He made no sound at all. He stared into the distance, his arms limp at his sides. 

Jack called for Tosh, told her he needed to speak with Owen urgently.

Following Owen's instructions, Jack checked Ianto’s pulse and breathing. Holding two fingers to his throat he could tell the pulse was too fast and not as strong as it should be. Then, resting a hand gently on his chest he could detect that his breathing was rapid and shallow. He reported his findings to Owen, a lump in his throat. This was never meant to have happened. 

_“He’s in shock, Jack. What did you fucking expect? Is he shaking? Shivery?”_

“He’s cold and clammy,” Jack said as he pressed the back of his hand to Ianto’s forehead. “What do I do, Owen?”

_“Shit. Just try to reassure him, comfort him, get him to realise you’re there. Then get him the fuck out of there.”_

Jack stood up to place his hands on Ianto’s shoulders gently but firmly. It was then that he noticed for the first time that Ianto’s jeans were undone and pushed down over his hips. He swore silently, horrified that he’d almost been too late and furious that he’d allowed Morgan such a quick death. 

Gently he tugged the jeans back up, pulled the zip up and refastened the button, taking care to tell Ianto exactly what he was doing. Then he buttoned up the shirt, all the time whispering to Ianto, telling him that he was going to be safe, that he was with him. 

As Jack swung Ianto’s legs over the edge of the bed he saw that his feet were bare. Despite the need to get him out urgently, Jack knew he couldn’t move through the caves barefoot. A quick dash into the other room allowed Jack to locate Ianto’s socks and trainers. 

It was while he was trying to get a trainer back onto one of Ianto’s feet that he felt the younger man respond. To begin with it was just a twitch of his leg, but as there’d been nothing at all up to that point, Jack was grateful for the slightest sign that Ianto was reacting to his surroundings.

Sitting next to him, Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto, holding him close. This time Ianto slowly raised his own arms to circle Jack’s waist loosely and leaned into him, his head resting on Jack’s shoulder. 

“Jack?” Ianto’s voice was hoarse, but unwavering.

“Yes. It’s me.” Jack figured out there was no point in asking him how he was doing. “Ready to get the hell out of here?”

Ianto nodded slowly and although he didn’t say another word, the way his grasp tightened was of greater reassurance to Jack than anything he could have said. Jack was glad that he was able to differentiate between the contact he’d initiated and that which Morgan had imposed. Ianto was shivering, whether from shock or because he was cold it was hard to tell, but Jack realised he couldn’t lead him through the caves wearing nothing but a thin shirt and a pair of jeans.

Jack looked at Morgan’s body and briefly considered taking his coat to keep Ianto warm, but dismissed the thought instantly, there was no way he’d make Ianto wear anything that had been on that bastard. Maybe from one of the guards outside. 

“Give me a minute. I’ll get you something to wear to keep you warm.” 

Jack stripped the thick jacket from the guard that look closest in size to Ianto and took it through to the back room, where he found Ianto sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down on Morgan’s body. 

“You killed him,” Ianto stated – an observation rather than a question. 

Jack was worried at the lack of emotion in Ianto’s voice. Everything was far from well. 

“Yes. Come on, Ianto – we have to leave now.”

Jack helped Ianto into the padded jacket, then he put one arm around his waist and draped Ianto’s arm over his shoulder before hoisting him up from the bed. Bracing him carefully as he swayed, Jack led Ianto out through the room where his soul had been ripped apart. He only hoped he could help him heal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I fucking knew it!” yelled Owen as he stormed out of his car and headed towards Gwen and Rhys. As soon as he had pulled in behind the SUV they’d jumped out to meet him. “I knew he’d kill them.” 

“What’s your problem with that, Owen?” Gwen’s teeth were clenched as she spat the words out. “They fucking deserved it!”

“Hang on there, when did you get all vengeful? The ever-compassionate Gwen-fucking-Cooper baying for blood. For vengeance?”

“That bastard was going to rape Ianto. If I had been there I’d have done worse than shoot him!”

“Great, let’s just shoot the fuck out of the baddies and not stop and think for one fucking minute what effect that may have on Ianto. He just relived the last minutes of the woman he loved, who ended her life in a hail of bullets, fired by Jack… and the rest of us. What fucking effect do you think it’s going to have on him seeing Jack shoot someone dead? In a hail of bullets. In front of his eyes. He was still in shock before seeing that. For fuck’s sake…”

“Oh my God, I didn’t think…”

“You’re not the only one. Well, let’s look on the bright side, at least Jack didn’t castrate the bastard first with his hunting knife.”

“Jack wouldn’t- ”

“Oh yes he fucking would, Gwen.”

“OK then folks, so are we going to wait here, or go up there and meet them half way?” Rhys felt uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. He’d not seen that side of Jack and he hoped he never would. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had made their way slowly through the caves. Jack tried to manoeuvre Ianto as he shone his torch at the ground to avoid either of them falling over. He’d decided to make good use of the rope he’d brought along by tying a length about his waist and then the other end around Ianto. There was no way he was losing Ianto now. Not physically anyway.

The section with the low ceiling and narrow walls was the most difficult. They both ended up crawling through it. Jack went first, tugging the rope to make sure Ianto kept up with him. At one point he thought that Ianto had given up, he lay down and seemed unable to summon the energy to keep going, but Jack managed to coax him into moving again. 

By the time both men emerged into daylight, they were both wet through and covered in mud. They had also accumulated an array of bruises and scrapes from the rough rock walls that they had crawled past. Jack untied the rope and, after helping Ianto into a sitting position against the cliff face, he retrieved the rucksack from its hiding place. He was sure he’d seen some provisions in there. A flask and a water bottle, if not some energy bars.

He opened the water bottle first and offered it to Ianto. His hands were shaking badly so Jack held the bottom of the bottle to prevent it from slipping from his grasp. Ianto gulped down the water greedily, as if he hadn’t had anything to drink for days. 

“They didn’t give you anything to eat or drink I take it?”

Ianto shook his head. Jack frowned – partly out of disgust at the men who had treated Ianto worse than he’d treat a weevil, but mostly at the fact that Ianto was still so withdrawn. The daylight allowed Jack to see the dark circles under Ianto’s eyes, which looked haunted in a way he’d not seen for a long while. The last time he’d seen Ianto stare into the distance like that had been not far from here, the same time he’d seen the younger man’s lips pressed together in such a grim line. He wanted nothing more than to hold him tight and never let him go, but he had to get him to a safe place first.

“Ready?” Jack had picked up the rucksack, he didn’t want to leave any clues lying around, even though it was very heavy. However, if at any point he had to carry Ianto, Jack would not hesitate to dump it in the nearest thicket of bramble.

Ianto sighed, looked up towards Jack and squinted his eyes to shut out the bright light. Then he reached out a hand, which Jack clasped hold of without hesitation and helped him to get up from the ground. The fact that Ianto did not let go of Jack’s hand as they began to walk along the stream gave him hope. Ianto still trusted him. He had no idea why, he didn’t feel as though he deserved it, but he would do anything in his power to reward that faith.


	23. Chapter 23

Despite both Gwen and Rhys desperately wanting to do something other than stand around and wait, Owen had overruled them. He may not have been able to restrain Jack’s thirst for bloody vengeance, but he could at least manage to assert some authority on medical grounds. He had made it very clear that if Ianto needed medical assistance, then it would be best where they had vehicles and not on some filthy track in the middle of nowhere. He also persuaded Gwen that Jack would be able to move faster without their presence. 

As soon as they heard the sounds of gravel crunching underfoot, hopefully signalling the approach of their friends, Owen gave Gwen a stern warning as a reminder.

“Give them space, Gwen. If you dare throw yourself around either of their necks, I swear I shall wring yours for you.”

“Owen?” Gwen shot him a look of utter disbelief. 

“Oi – there’s no need to go threatening my Gwen like that-”

“Trust me – if Ianto’s still in shock, and I bet he is, and Jack’s still feeling murderous, neither of them will feel much like hugging.” 

Rhys glared at Owen and, despite the fact that he didn’t care for anyone threatening his wife, he understood exactly what he meant. He reached out an arm and placed it firmly about Gwen’s shoulders, holding her close so that she couldn’t make any sudden dashes. 

“Just let me assess the situation, alright?” Owen looked into Gwen’s eyes until she gave a nod in agreement. 

The sounds of branches being broken became louder and eventually Jack and Ianto appeared, scrambling down some loose shale towards them. Owen sighed as it appeared that his speculation seemed to be spot on. As the two men approached, he carefully appraised Ianto’s condition, observing the way the man failed to make eye contact with anyone, the way in which he walked, as if forcing himself to put one foot in front of the other, and was immediately concerned. Apart from the fact that Ianto looked dishevelled and was wearing a blood spattered shirt, it was apparent that he was internalising it all, retreating from the world around him. From Jack as well possibly. 

Despite the fact that they were holding hands, there was a distance between the two men. Owen observed that they rarely displayed affectionate gestures openly, and when they did there was an intimacy about them, but the way they held hands as they followed the track towards the SUV, appeared to be more concerned with providing mutual reassurance than anything else. He could be mistaken, he hoped he was. The key to Ianto’s recovery would be Jack and how he handled this. If it wasn’t for the fact that Owen could tell that this whole fucking cock up of a mission had already taken its toll on Jack, he’d give him hell. Trouble was it looked like he’d already been there.

“Gwen said you’ve got a room at the pub in a village nearby.” Owen addressed Jack directly, not allowing Gwen to say a word. “We should head there first. Then I can give Ianto a check-up, see what state he’s in.” 

“Agreed. Gwen – you and Rhys take Owen’s car. Owen – come with us in the SUV.”

No one considered questioning Jack’s commands; he was evidently in no mood for discussions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen and Rhys got to the pub first and made straight for the bar, distracting the landlord as Owen and Jack accompanied Ianto upstairs to the room they had checked into the night before.

Owen had already taken his medical kit from his car and just grabbed the one bag from the SUV which he gave to Jack to carry.

“Spare set of clothes. I said we should keep them in the SUV for emergencies. Should be everything he needs in there.”

“Thanks, Owen.”

The room was small and the presence of the three men filled it. Although Jack wanted to stay close to Ianto, he acknowledged that Owen needed room to examine him properly and stood with his back to the door. That way he could at least keep anyone else out. 

At Owen’s prompts, Ianto slipped the padded jacket from his shoulders and then unbuttoned his shirt. Then he sat on the bed, gazing out of the window as if expecting to see something. 

Owen gently probed the cut to his side. It made sense to deal with the physical injuries first. That would give all of them something to focus on, rather than the fact that Ianto was barely registering their presence and seemed to be sealed away in a world of his own. A world of mental pain Owen suspected as he stole a quick glance at Ianto’s red-rimmed eyes. 

A finger pulse oximeter indicated that Ianto’s heart rate was still elevated, but not as high as it had been. His breathing was also slower and not so shallow. Owen didn’t bother with any other scanners or a stethoscope, not wanting to trigger any unpleasant flashbacks if he could avoid it. He was an experienced enough physician that he could monitor these stats surreptitiously while cleaning the knife wound and reapplying fresh steri strips. Their exodus from the caves hadn’t been kind on the poorly dressed injuries. 

“You’re lucky this isn’t showing any inflammation. I reckon Jack’s antibody boosters are still at work in your bloodstream. I’ll stitch it up once I’m one hundred percent sure it’s free of any infection. Let me know if it feels hot or starts getting itchy, OK?” 

Owen waited for a response from Ianto and was satisfied when he nodded, which at least seemed to suggest he was aware of what Owen was saying even if he wasn’t inclined to chat. Owen sighed, and looked across to Jack, seeing that this was tough for him to witness.

Transferring his attentions to the bite mark on Ianto’s ear, Owen was surprised to feel the younger man tense up suddenly and start to tremble. As he probed the wound to check for any sign of infection, Ianto grabbed hold of his wrist to stop him. 

“Get it out of me. Get that thing out of my head.” Ianto’s voice was low and quiet, but determined. There was no mistaking what he meant.

Owen moved his hand away from Ianto’s head slowly and glanced up at Jack who had pushed away from the door and started to make his way slowly to the bed. 

“Just get this fucking thing out of me … it’s in my brain,” Ianto growled the words out between tightly clenched teeth. “Take it out. I …I don’t want it there… Please…?”

Ianto looked directly into Owen’s eyes, making it clear that he would beg if he had to.

It was the first time Jack had heard him say more than a word or two at a time since rescuing him. He was shocked at the vehemence with which Ianto reacted, until it dawned on him that the alien hybrid communication device, which relied on interfaces with the human nervous system, would remind Ianto of cybernetic implants.

Owen took one look at Jack, both men realising that what Gates had put Ianto through had triggered a violent aversion to the comm. device embedded in his ear. Owen looked to Jack for authorization, although he would probably have gone ahead and done it even without Jack’s permission. Leaving it in place, in Ianto’s body, would just reinforce any recurring intrusive memories of the recent trauma and make recovery from the ordeal even more difficult than it already would be. 

“Do it,” Jack stated simply, as he pulled a chair to the opposite side of the bed and sat down, not taking his eyes off Ianto. 

Owen watched Jack with admiration, he was worried he’d go over the top, but he was allowing Ianto to deal with this on his own terms. He nodded in approval as Jack made eye contact first, before reaching out to take Ianto’s hand. Ianto acknowledged Jack’s support by clasping his hand firmly as Owen prepared to remove the device.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A local anaesthetic was required before Owen could remove the device, severing all links with Ianto’s auditory nerve. He then gave Ianto a shot containing a potent painkiller, combined with a slight sedative so he could sleep undisturbed by nightmares. 

“Right, I’ll go let know Gwen how he’s doing, she’ll be worried,” said Owen as he put the used syringe in a portable sharps box. “I’ll leave you to finish cleaning up, OK?”

“Thanks, Owen.” Jack appreciated the doctor leaving him with Ianto, allowing him to do something to look after his lover. 

He helped Ianto lay fully down on the bed, drowsy after the sedative began to take effect. Then Jack helped him out of the blood-stained clothes, thankful that Ianto neither resisted nor showed any signs of discomfort. 

Jack got a damp washcloth from the tiny en suite shower room and washed the blood from Ianto’s face and chest, both his own and Morgan’s. As Jack cleaned away the dried spatters that stained the washcloth red, he couldn’t help wishing he’d had the opportunity to postpone the killing of Morgan. That way he could have spared Ianto the additional trauma and also taken his time tormenting the bastard that had threatened to rape Ianto. He would have made him suffer in ways he couldn’t have imagined. 

Owen was right though, his priority had to be Ianto. He just wanted to gather him up in his arms, crush him to his chest and show him how sorry he was. But he could tell that Ianto was only just holding it together under a brittle shell, one that could shatter into a thousand pieces if not handled with care. He had withdrawn and the only way Jack could coax him out, to help him to heal, was to wait patiently and just let him know that he was there for him. 

Jack had seen this reaction to trauma before, the retreat from normal emotions rather than more violent reactions. He’d seen Ianto go through both in the past, before he’d left to travel with the Doctor, before he’d developed such strong feelings for him. He remembered the outburst of rage as Ianto had launched himself physically at Jack, punching him, threatening to shoot him in the wake of the team dealing with what had once been his girlfriend and then the inevitable collapse. He also recalled the withdrawn figure of Ianto, sitting on the tailgate of the SUV in the aftermath of the mission in the Brecon Beacons. He sighed heavily as he could envisage just how this awful convergence of circumstances and torture would bring all of that crashing back down in Ianto’s mind, magnified immeasurably by the images he’d been forced to watch. 

“Jack?” Ianto’s voice was a welcome distraction from the thoughts that plagued him. 

“Hey there- feeling sleepy?” Jack allowed himself to stroke Ianto’s face, needing the contact, wanting the reassurance that he really was there, with him, alive, if not in one piece. 

“Please … don’t want to sleep,” Ianto struggled to articulate his concerns as he felt the pull of the sedative.

“It’s alright, Owen’s given you something to help you sleep without dreams,” Jack picked up on why Ianto wouldn’t want to close his eyes and succumb to the sedative. “You’ll be OK. I need to go and talk to Gwen and the others. I’ll come back later. Just get some rest.”

“Jack? Please don’t be long.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a few days since the last update, so here's a longer chapter.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack quietly shut the door, struggling to keep his resolve to allow Ianto some time alone to deal with what had happened. Some space to be able to react, whilst not under the close supervision of Owen or being subjected to the intrusive concern of Gwen. Part of him dearly wanted to stay with Ianto, to curl up around him and protect him from anything else that could possibly be thrown his way. But, he knew Ianto well enough to know that he needed some privacy. He promised himself that he wouldn’t stray far and that he wouldn’t take too long. He was very worried about Ianto’s state of mind and wouldn’t be able to relax again until they were all safe once more.

Walking into the bar, Jack spotted the others sitting in a small booth. Gwen and Rhys appeared to have had lunch, probably Rhys’ idea thought Jack, with approval, there was no point in any of them going hungry. He just hoped he could persuade Ianto to eat something later. Jack then frowned as he saw an empty glass in front of Owen, he really hoped that he hadn’t been drinking; he didn’t want to have to face the repercussions of that again. 

“D’you want me to go sit with Ianto?” Owen gestured vaguely in the direction of the upstairs rooms.

“No, leave him be for a while. We need to talk. But not in here – outside in the SUV. Rhys, can you stay here? I’d like you to keep an eye on the stairs, make sure nobody bothers Ianto.”

“No problem, Jack.” 

Rhys nodded to Gwen, assuring her that he was fine staying put in the pub, while Jack briefed the rest of them outside. He was confident that Gwen would tell him what he needed to know, and he was actually flattered that Jack trusted him to watch out for Ianto. 

“Jack, are you sure? I mean, I don’t mind going up and-” Gwen looked up towards the ceiling and then at Jack, imploring him to let her have her way. She was annoyed to feel Rhys nudge her in the ribs with his elbow. Before she had the chance to glare at him, she caught sight of the look of disapproval on his face as he gently shook his head. 

“No, Gwen. Thank you. Ianto needs to rest,” Jack explained, grateful for the way that Rhys had got Gwen to back down as it spared him an argument. “What we need to do now is discuss what to do next.”

After shuffling out of the bench seat, Owen took the two empty glasses from the table to return to the bar.

“Owen?” Jack asked quietly. “I really hope that’s wasn’t your drink. Don’t you remember what happened last time?”

“Could hardly forget painting a police cell with my stomach contents, could I? Nah – this, this is an experiment. I’ve been trying it out at home. Neat vodka works best – I don’t swallow it, I just take a sip and let it evaporate.” 

“What?”

“I don’t suppose you understand, what with your ‘make it a pint of water’ drinking habits, but for me, it just doesn’t feel right sitting in a pub without a drink.” Owen shrugged, he’d felt very uncomfortable sitting with Rhys and Gwen without a glass of his own to nurse, it was just wrong.

“You’re bloody weird you are,” muttered Gwen when Owen returned from the bar, shuddering slightly as if unnerved by her colleague’s newly acquired habits.

“Thanks, Gwen.” Owen smiled as he leant towards her to whisper in her ear. “If you hadn’t noticed, I’m slightly deceased, so just what the fuck did you expect?”

Rhys watched with bemusement as his wife and the scruffy doctor followed in the wake of Jack’s coat, muttering to each other like misbehaving schoolkids. He couldn’t quite work out whether Gwen liked him or hated him, but there was something there that he wasn’t sure about. 

A cold blast of air entered the bar as the Torchwood team made their way out into the chilly daylight outside the cosy pub. As the door swung shut behind them, Rhys fixed his eyes on the corridor that led to the stairs, determined not to give Jack any cause to regret putting his faith in him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the small bedroom above the bar, Ianto was restless, unwilling to succumb to the sedative. Jack had got it wrong, the drugs Owen had given him were nowhere near strong enough to keep the images from replaying in his head. There was no escaping the horror, the bloodshed and the violence. The sight of wickedly sharp, whirling blades and the spray of scarlet jets of blood, accompanied every attempt he made to shut his eyes and wish for oblivion. 

He had seen what Lisa had done and known, as he watched the ruthlessness with which the young girl had been strapped into the conversion unit, that the woman he once loved was no longer there. He’d spent so long debating internally with himself whether or not she had still been there, he desperately needed to believe that some part of Lisa still existed at that point, that there was something worth trying to save. It was the only possible justification for what he had done, his betrayal of Jack and the others. But there was no defence for his actions, everything he’d done had been based on a deception. Lisa had died at Canary Wharf, just like he’d told Jack the first time he’d mentioned her name on the boardwalk on Mermaid Quay. 

Ianto felt that he had to make amends for the deaths of Annie Bennett, the pizza delivery girl who had been brutally murdered and for Tanizaki as well, even if he had been working for Gates. They had lost their lives because he’d kept a Cyberman alive. It could have been even worse, Gwen had nearly been converted and Jack had been killed. All because of his misguided actions. Thanks to Gates, there was no escaping his guilt, he was trapped with it. 

Ianto was exhausted, mentally, physically and emotionally, but his thoughts wouldn’t let him rest. He sat up in the bed, taking in the unique scent of Jack on the pillows, along with Gwen’s perfume and another masculine smell that must have been from Rhys. Normally, Jack’s scent would comfort him, make him feel safe, but he didn’t believe he had any right to that comfort. He couldn’t rest until this was all dealt with. 

Keeping his eyes open was not enough to stop the flashbacks, not only those to do with the Cyberman, but what had happened after he’d come around, on Morgan’s bed. He could still smell the aftershave, which overwhelmed the other more comforting scents of both Jack and Gwen. It was on his skin, bringing with it recollections of Morgan’s body, pressing against him, pushing him down onto that bed. 

Although Jack had wiped away Morgan’s blood from Ianto’s face and chest he hadn’t managed to get rid of all trace of the man and Ianto felt dirty. He could still feel those slim, cool fingers insinuating themselves into his clothing, touching him, those memories he wanted to wipe from his mind sneaked out of his subconscious, hijacking his thoughts. 

Ianto could feel his stomach muscles clenching, the urge to throw up suddenly overwhelming him as he leapt from the bed and rushed into the small bathroom. Apart from some water, his stomach was empty and before long he found himself dry heaving. After concentrating hard on quelling the spasms in his gut, he slumped down to the floor. 

Wiping the sweat from his brow with a towel, Ianto decided that he had to do something. Sitting alone, feeling sorry for himself was not an option. He’d seen a bag of clothes in the room, recalling Owen’s insistence on keeping sets of clean clothes, for all the team, in the SUV on a permanent basis. 

Ianto decided that he’d clean up as best he could and then get dressed. Jack wouldn’t be happy, but he was determined to stick by his decision.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Outside, in the SUV, Jack was summarising the discussion they’d had in Ianto’s absence. 

“Right, so what we have is a group of old-guard Torchwood renegades. Yvonne’s chosen few. For all we know the Queen they’ve sworn an oath to is Victoria,” Jack sighed with frustration. “They’re holed up in cave network. From what the locals are saying, it seems likely they’re testing alien weaponry on unfortunate livestock.”

“Don’t give me that look, Owen,” warned Gwen. “I know there aren’t really dragons in the hills.”

“Might be aliens, though,” shrugged Owen. “But knowing these guys, alien weapons are more likely.”

“Agreed,” stated Jack emphatically. “And, for some reason, they suddenly seem hell-bent on getting hold of Ianto. Can anyone think why?” 

Owen looked at Jack seriously before voicing his thoughts. He wondered if his theories were the same as Jack’s and that he needed to hear someone else express them before admitting them himself. 

“From how I see it, Jack, those fucking creeps want Ianto because they found out he’s worked with cyber tech. They knew he’d taken that thing out of Torchwood Tower and that he was keeping it alive. They must’ve thought that when Tanizaki went off the radar something went wrong. For all they knew at the time, it could’ve been us that killed him. Then, when you suspended Ianto for a month, they’d have been watching him. You tagged him then, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” admitted Jack. “He was confined to a one-mile radius of his home. Far enough to go shopping for food or go out for a drink at his local. No further without me knowing.”

“So, if they were watching him they’d have figured out that the Cyberman was also destroyed?”

“Oh yes, they’d have been able to figure that one out just by the way he behaved those few weeks.”

“Jack?” asked Gwen, looking concerned. “What did he do?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, Gwen,” Jack stated grimly. “He got over it.”

“From what we’ve heard, they’ve been watching all the survivors of Canary Wharf,” reasoned Owen. “But the thing with Ianto is that they knew they’d be able to blackmail him into working for them if they wanted. They had footage of him dragging a Cyberman to safety.”

“Something else we didn’t know,” added Jack bitterly. “I didn’t know they’d already been observing Ianto.” 

“Oh shit!” exclaimed Gwen as she came to yet another awful conclusion. “Now they know exactly what happened to Tanizaki, they could easily get Ianto charged with murder.”

“Right,” shrugged Owen as he pondered the next part of the puzzle. “So that’s how they could force him to work for them – next question is why.”

“Cyber tech,” stated Jack. “We know they’ve got hold of cyber weapons and they probably intend to use them. They’ve figured out that Ianto knows more about how cyber tech works than they guessed.”

“That’s all very well, Jack, but why did they wait till now?” Gwen asked sceptically. “I’m sorry, but it doesn’t make any bloody sense to me.”

“That’d be because you’re not a psychopathic, power mad, fucking nutter.” 

Owen patted Gwen’s hand in a patronising fashion, deliberately aiming to annoy her even further. 

“I hate to point out the obvious, sweetheart, but the reason they made their move now was because Jack provided Ianto with something they couldn’t resist. And now, ironically, that’s given them more blackmail material than they could have fucking imagined.”

Jack closed his eyes and thought back. There had always been a chance that Ianto could have got into the group as a disaffected employee of Torchwood, after all he’d worked for One. Jack had just provided an extra added incentive in the way of a piece of cyber tech. It hurt to admit it, but Jack knew that Owen was right, it had been him that had pushed Ianto towards them and they’d just taken advantage of the offer being made. If only Jack had realised how dangerous that power cell would prove to be. He even wondered, for one awful moment, what the Doctor would have advised. He bet that the Time Lord would have known about the time bomb he’d given Ianto as he’d sent him into the lions’ den. 

“Jack? You still with us?” Owen prodded Jack’s arm with a pointed finger, bringing him back to the problem they were facing.

“Jack? When they were interrogating Ianto… Gates was a bit persistent on wanting to know about his relationship to you. What was all that about?” Gwen had only just recalled that she’d thought that was odd at the time. However, the situation had deteriorated so rapidly she hadn’t thought about it again, not until she found herself going over the questions they’d asked Ianto. 

“I don’t know. At the time I guess I thought they were just trying to find out if he was there as a willing pawn or not. They wanted to figure out if he was still loyal to me.”

“How do you think they’ll interpret your rescue mission?” Gwen asked Jack. 

That was something Jack really hadn’t considered. At the time there was no option, there was no way he was leaving Ianto in there with those bastards.

“Either they’ll realise that he was there as a spy. Or… they’ll think that I found out where he was and dragged his ass out to stop him betraying me.”

“Unless that was a trap – maybe they wanted you to go in after him? Perhaps they hoped to take you as well?” Gwen wondered out loud.

“Bloody stupid trap if it was if you want my opinion. It cost them a few of their men – didn’t it, Jack?” Owen’s tone was accusatory in a way that Jack didn’t appreciate. He knew exactly what the doctor was getting at, and he thought it was out of order. 

“Two of them were in my way. Morgan had it coming to him. As far as I’m concerned he got off too lightly.” Jack glared at Owen, making it clear that he had no regrets about killing the men who had stood between him and Ianto’s safety. 

“OK – let’s get it clear. These shits have got some nasty fucking weapons. Fuck knows what they’re intending to use them for, but we need to stop them. They also want Ianto for something to do with cyber crap of some sort. So, we’re probably looking at cyber weapons. They just lost Ianto, so they’re going to be well and truly pissed off, because, apart from anything else, it means that we know where they are.” 

“Thanks for that, Owen,” snapped Jack. “What we really need now is for UNIT to turn up and mop up the mess. Otherwise I’ve got a feeling we’ve just poked a stick in a hornets’ nest and we’re about to get stung real bad.”

“Well that is their job. They’ve got the manpower and the hardware.” Owen gave Jack a glare as he saw him about to refute that claim. “We can’t tackle this on our own, Jack.” 

Owen felt the need to emphasise that it was all very well for the man who couldn’t die to go in all guns blazing at every opportunity, but he had to remember he didn’t have an army at his command. The loyal and faithful few of Torchwood Three were all too vulnerable. He saw that Jack had understood him as he nodded in agreement. 

“Tosh should have heard back from someone by now. They need to get their asses down here and shut that place down. Then we go home.” Jack looked from Gwen to Owen, pleased to see that they approved of his plan. “It’s the best strategy I can think of. That way we don’t need to work out what their damn agenda is. We just make sure that whatever they’re up to is stopped.”

“Sounds good to me.” Gwen nodded her head, she was relieved. She didn’t want Rhys caught up in this any more than he already was. Although she wanted him to know about her job, she didn’t want him in danger because of it. 

“OK – I’ll call Tosh. See if she’s got through to UNIT. I spoke to her earlier, to tell her that Ianto wanted the communication device removing, but I’ve not talked to her since.”

Jack opened the driver’s door and leapt out, calling Tosh on his Bluetooth earpiece as he walked towards the back of the SUV. Gwen and Owen followed him out of the vehicle to listen in on his conversation. 

“Tosh? Have you heard back from UNIT?”

“Hi there, Jack. Yes, I’ve heard back from them. But…” Tosh paused to take a deep breath and that immediately alerted Jack to the fact that bad news was on its way. 

“What is it, Tosh?”

“They’re refusing to co-operate. They’re not going to mobilise. The official line is that, without proof, they have no reason to trust our claims. They say that the only secret organisation, with an underground base and a stockpile of alien weapons that they know of, is in the tourist district of Cardiff and you’re supposedly in charge of it.”

“What?” Jack bristled with outrage. “Let me get this right – they really don’t believe us?”

“Not until you provide them with evidence. Incontrovertible proof. Until then they won’t do a bloody thing.” 

“Damn. Well, if that’s how they feel, we’ll take the bastards on by ourselves!” 

Jack stormed off, back in the direction of the pub. Owen and Gwen stood looking at him in disbelief. 

“Jack! We can’t do that! There’s only three of us!” Gwen shouted after him.

“She’s right, Jack!” Owen had run after Jack and grabbed hold of his arm, pulling him around in the middle of the empty car park. “We can’t take them on.”

Jack came to a halt, the protests of his team ringing in his ears. They were right of course. They wouldn’t stand a chance. He turned back to walk towards the SUV, where Gwen stood, hands on her hips, resignation weighing heavily on his shoulders. 

“At the very least, we need to go back into those caves. I’ll go in alone if I have to and collect the damn evidence UNIT demand!” 

“If it’s just a surveillance mission – go in, take pictures, whatever... fuck it, I’m in.” Owen sighed heavily, knowing full well that Jack would go in whether they agreed with him or not.

“Yes, count me in too – I’m not going to let you go in there alone, Jack.” Gwen reached out to place her hand on Jack’s arm, wanting to support him as best she could.

“Thank you. Both of you. We’ll get Rhys to show us how best to get into the caves, I doubt if we can use the same entry point I used before,” Jack didn’t want to explain why, but figured that in his haste to get Ianto out, he’d left traces behind that could have been followed. “There’s just one condition if you two insist on coming along with me. If you come across Gates, you leave him to me. I’ll deal with him-”

“No you won’t, Jack. He’s mine.” 

Jack spun around at the sound of Ianto’s voice. The tone was enough to make his blood freeze.


	25. Chapter 25

Jack turned sharply to see Ianto striding towards him. Rhys was running out of the pub behind him, waving his arms frantically, an apologetic look on his face. 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” yelled Jack, instantly regretting how angry he sounded, but unable to take the words back. 

“I’d have though that would have been obvious. Even to you.” Ianto stated calmly as he still advanced on Jack. “I’m doing my job. I overheard your plans. If there are four of us, we can work as two pairs, get more done that way. Get in and out faster. That and I get to return a favour to Gates.” 

The pragmatic way in which Ianto described the operation belied the dangers involved. The fact that he could state this with no discernible emotion, despite his own recent experiences, scared Jack. 

“No!” Jack blocked Ianto’s path, his hand held out to stop him in his tracks. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. “You’re not fit to -” 

“My injuries aren’t enough to keep me out of the field, Jack. You know that.” Ianto prodded a finger into Jack’s chest to emphasise the point he was trying to make.

“I said no!” Jack grabbed hold of Ianto’s wrist, moving his hand away from his chest, but not releasing it.

“I need to do this,” Ianto insisted.

However, the way his voice almost gave out on the word ‘need’, provided Jack with an insight into what was going on Ianto’s mind. What Jack ‘needed’ was to discuss this issue with Ianto away from the others. 

“We need to talk,” Jack said in that dangerously quiet tone of voice he spared for when he was beyond furious. “On our own.” 

Jack then turned to look at the others as they stood back, out of the line of fire. 

“Gwen. Owen. I want you to talk caves with Rhys. Ianto and I have need to have a conversation. In private.”

“The room upstairs?” Ianto pulled his hand free from Jack’s grip, turned and headed back towards the pub, sparing Jack a glance over his shoulder, not waiting for an answer.

“Yes.” Jack nodded, trying to give the impression that he was still in control.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rhys shrugged as Gwen glared at him. 

“You were meant to be watching out for him!”

“I was looking out for people going up the bloody stairs! I wasn’t expecting to see him come down like that. He just asked where Jack was and then, before I could stop him, he was out the door. I’m sorry, love.”

Gwen reached out to take hold of Rhys’ hand, she knew that it wasn’t his fault, but she couldn’t help but be worried about her friends. They made their way back towards the bar slowly, the way that Jack and Ianto had stormed off, there was no chance that they’d catch up with the two men. 

“Ianto looked bloody awful. I’ve never seen him look that rough,” Gwen reflected. She’d not had the chance to see him properly since they’d returned from their rescue mission. “But you know what? I’m not sure if I’ll be more pissed off if Jack lets him go back into those fucking caves or if he refuses to let him. What do you think, Owen? Should we get involved?”

“What I’m thinking is that I’m not sure which of them is more fucking wound up right now. It wouldn’t surprise me if they actually fight over it. Bloody idiots. My advice would be to keep out of their way until the dust settles.” 

“So, Jack will get his way, right?” Rhys asked, not quite understanding the knowing looks that Owen and Gwen were sharing.

“Don’t fucking bet on it, mate,” scoffed Owen. “Our teaboy has certain powers of persuasion where Jack is concerned. And if you think Jack is difficult to shift once he’s made up his mind, well Ianto is the only person I know who is even more fucking stubborn.”

“That would be an understatement if ever I heard one, Owen,” agreed Gwen. “Looks like we’re in for a long bloody night. Especially if we’ve got to wait for those two to clash and make up.”

“Oh shit, here we go again.” Owen sat down heavily on the seat they’d earlier vacated. “I think I’ll just sit here and sniff vodka, wait ’till they make their fucking minds up about who gets to beat the crap out of the bloke that scrambled Ianto’s brains.” 

Owen had shut his eyes, so it was fortunate that he didn’t see the glare that Gwen shot him. It was also lucky that he was already dead, because otherwise it would have killed him where he was sitting.

“Rhys, love? Can you see what you can do about booking another room or two for tonight?” Gwen asked her husband, giving him something to do that was actually useful. “Then we’ll see if we can work out routes back into the cave system somewhere less public.”

“Please, make it two more rooms, Rhys,” begged Owen. “I might not sleep, but I’ve got absolutely no intention of sharing a room with either you and your missus, or Jack and his.”

“Owen Harper! I shall tell Ianto what you just said.” Gwen looked torn between laughing out loud and gasping in horror.

“He can’t threaten me any more, Gwen. Don’t drink coffee now, don’t give a shit.” But he winked as he said it, letting Gwen know that he did care really, despite what he may say.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Jack followed Ianto, he really didn’t know how to react. Part of him was pleased that Ianto hadn’t curled up into a ball under the bedclothes and retreated completely. He was secretly proud to have seen Ianto walk out to join them, ready to go back into action. Jack knew that he should be grateful that Ianto hadn’t fallen apart at the seams, but he wasn’t sure that what he had just seen was much better.

Jack couldn’t help but be afraid. This determination of Ianto to return to the place where he’d suffered was something he’d seen before. The pleading was a sign of desperation, he’d witnessed that same ‘need’ in men who’d faced so much pain at the hands of their enemies, that they would keep going back, in a vain attempt to balance the score, until they were eventually killed in battle. All instincts for self-preservation and survival torn to shreds by their experiences. He couldn’t bear the prospect of Ianto returning to those caves, not in his current frame of mind. He could see from the haunted expression in Ianto’s eyes, rimmed in red and circled by dark shadows, that he wasn’t thinking rationally. 

Ianto stood with his back to the bed, his hands firmly on his hips, prepared to take on whatever arguments Jack came up with. 

“I’m not letting you go back there.” Jack faced Ianto, his back to the door, arms folded over his chest and chin raised in an attempt to portray authority. He shook his head, partly to reiterate the fact that he was saying ‘no’ and partly because he knew full well that this would not be his last word on the subject. 

“Why not?” The direct challenge from Ianto was exactly what Jack had dreaded. 

“What you missed, Ianto, was the fact that my request for UNIT to assist with the neutralisation of the weapon dump was turned down. They won’t assist until we provide proof of what these guys are up to. That’s the only reason anyone is going back in there.” 

Jack bit the words out, trying his utmost not to shout, not to let his anger show. After all it wasn’t Ianto he was angry with, but the whole damn situation.

“Even more reason that you take me with you!” Ianto countered, daring Jack to disagree with the obvious.

“No. You don’t get it – it’s too dangerous!” Jack had moved away from the door, invading Ianto’s personal space in a way that under different circumstances would be much more enjoyable. 

“It makes more fucking sense to take four than three, you know that. Unless you’re thinking of giving Rhys a gun and teaming him up with Gwen.” Ianto pointed towards the door and rolled his eyes. “Come on, Jack. What’s the real reason you won’t let me help?”

“You’re not ready to go back in there yet, that’s why!” Jack had now grabbed hold of Ianto’s shoulders, only to have them shrugged out of his grip, as Ianto pushed his hands away from him.

“Says who?” 

“Says someone who actually gives a shit about you getting out of there alive! Speaking both as your commanding officer and someone who cares for you – I’m not gonna let you walk in there in this state! You’re gonna get yourself killed!” 

Any contrivance to hide his temper had now gone, as Jack hammered his point home by prodding Ianto in the chest with a pointed finger.

“So you don’t trust me?” Ianto demanded, pushing back at Jack. 

“That’s not what I said.” Jack sighed in despair, pausing to run a hand through his hair. This was an argument he had known from the onset that he stood no chance of winning. “You just need time to recuperate. You were meant to be resting, dammit.” 

“I can’t rest.” 

Ianto wandered over to the window. He braced his hands on the window ledge and gazed out into the gathering gloom. 

“I can’t close my eyes for more than a few seconds at a time.”

“You have to rest. You’re exhausted. You’ve not slept or eaten properly in days and you look ready to collapse.” Jack stuck to the undeniable facts, there was no way he was going to mention Ianto’s fragile mental state. “You’re not going anywhere until you take some time to recover.”

Ianto laughed without humour at the concept of recovery. It wasn’t as if he’d broken an arm or got shot, but he could tell from Jack’s tone of voice exactly what he was referring to. 

“When you’re feeling better, then I’ll let you go back in the field.”

“You’ve got to be joking. I can’t – not just like that.” Ianto’s voice was quieter, almost a whisper, as if speaking to himself. “To be honest, I’m not sure I ever will.” 

Allowing the truth to escape deflated Ianto’s anger and he was suddenly aware of just how much arguing with Jack had cost him. He felt more drained than ever and knew he was in no position to deny Jack’s assessment of his physical well-being.

“Sorry, Jack, it’s not that I don’t want to put this behind me – I just don’t think I can.”

Jack swallowed hard, his fears were not unfounded it would seem if Ianto didn’t believe he’d recover from this. He gingerly took hold of Ianto by the arm and led him to the edge of the bed and gently pulled him down to sit beside him. Although Ianto didn’t resist, he was still tense.

“Jack – you can’t delay going in on my behalf. The longer we leave it, the more prepared they’ll be. They’ll know it was you that came for me. You brought the bloody SUV with Torchwood emblazoned on the sides, for fuck’s sake! They’ll hide the weapons … and there will be less chance of getting to Gates.” 

“Ianto, I’m not taking any more risks with your safety. I’ve taken too many already-”

“It’s my choice now, as it was then. And I’m choosing to do this.” Ianto sounded resigned to his fate.

“Even if it kills you?” Jack’s voice almost broke as he stated his concern.

“It’s my life to do with as I wish. Apart from anything else, I have to make amends, make things right.”

“No, Ianto, you don’t!” Alarm bells began to sound loud and clear in Jack’s head, those damn images Ianto had been forced to watch, they were part of a conditioning programme, just as Owen had suggested. “They planted those notions in your head. You’ve more than made up for what happened with Lisa.”

Jack watched on with concern as Ianto closed his eyes and then open them slowly, the horrors still showing in the irises that shone with unshed tears. Jack took Ianto into his arms, and held him close. He desperately wanted to help, but had never felt so helpless.

“Lie down with me?” Jack suggested carefully. “Nothing more. Just for a little while?”

“OK.” 

Ianto’s reply was muffled as he mumbled into the collar of Jack’s coat. But it was more than enough for Jack.

Jack kicked off his shoes and then helped Ianto remove his, before shuffling onto the soft mattress. Ianto lay on his side facing Jack, who lay on his back before carefully pulling Ianto across so that his head rested on his chest. The fact that he barely moved, hardly responded, as he stroked his hair, told Jack how weary Ianto was. 

“I won’t stop you from coming with us into the caves, but I insist you get something to eat. Something simple, maybe some soup?”

“Sounds reasonable, I’ll try…”

“And some rest? Just an hour? Close your eyes and let me chase away the nightmares?”

“Don’t you get it, Jack? I’ll never be able to make them go away. It was bad enough before, seeing the aftermath of what happened. But now I shut my eyes and it’s all there, vividly. I can hear the screams. I can see blood splashing onto the concrete floor. I can hear the saw as it cut through her skull. Her hair got caught in the blade first. She was still conscious, still awake. I can see her eyes – so young. She was terrified, crying and begging for mercy… There were needles, blades, saws… drills …so shiny…sharp … spinning, making me dizzy, they moved so fast, so shiny… ”

Ianto gradually became aware of something warm, and wet dripping onto his face. At first he thought they were drops of blood, but when he opened his eyes he saw Jack’s tears as they rolled down his face and onto Ianto’s. He was dragged back to the present by Jack’s arms about him, hugging him fiercely.

“Jack – please help me. When this is over. Retcon me. I can’t live with these memories.”

“Oh Ianto, the only way to do that is to take away the last eighteen months. Everything from Canary Wharf onwards – otherwise it won’t work.” 

Jack felt a lump in his throat. How could he deny Ianto the means to rid himself of this trauma, even if it meant losing him? 

“The memories are all interconnected, woven through your time at Torchwood. You can’t get rid of these if the others are still there. It’s all or nothing.” 

“Fuck.”

“Do you want to lose everything, all of that …?”

“It hurts, Jack, it hurts so much …”

Not knowing what else to do, Jack brushed his lips across Ianto’s mouth, tasting the saltiness of his own tears as he licked the wetness from his lower lip. Then gently he began to kiss Ianto, wanting to show him how much it mattered to him that he survived this, that he made it through in one piece. There was no response to begin with, but Ianto did nothing to stop him as he parted his lips with his tongue and deepened the kiss. 

Jack wondered, for one dreadful moment, if Morgan had tried to kiss Ianto, if what he was doing was just triggering those memories. He hadn’t asked Ianto what Morgan had done to him, he hadn’t dared to. As he paused, he felt Ianto move back, he thought he was trying to pull away, but then Ianto placed his hands either side of Jack’s head to bring his face closer, kissing him back. 

For Jack, the kiss was about reclaiming Ianto, impressing upon him how much he meant to him, how much he needed him. For Ianto, it was about holding onto Jack, not letting go and coming to realise that he’d endure the pain, one way or another, rather than lose this. 

“No, Jack, I can’t. I can’t lose memories of us. There has to be another way.”


	26. Chapter 26

It was a mess, an unholy mess, and Jack felt responsible. The small room seemed to be closing in on him as he lay on the bed, his arms tightly wrapped about Ianto, wishing he could offer him a lifeline back to sanity.

“I’m so sorry, Ianto. It’s all my damn stupid fault. If I hadn’t sent you in there with that power cell, then you wouldn’t have been forced to see those images. You would never have seen what happened-” 

“Jack, stop it. This is not a competition to find which of us is the guiltiest.” Ianto turned in Jack’s arms and gave him a hard stare. “For a start, it was my fault that an innocent pizza delivery girl got killed. That a young student never got home that night. Her blood is on my hands, always has been. All you’re guilty of is the fact that now I know exactly what happened to her.”

“Oh, Ianto – if only you knew half of what I’ve done in the past. You never meant for anyone to get hurt, and that’s how we’re different. What I’ve done was deliberate.”

“Jack?” Ianto could see by the way Jack’s eyes drifted out of focus that he was recalling events from his life before they’d ever met. Quite possibly from before he’d been born.

“Not now – another time, I promise I’ll tell you. You deserve to know. For now, let me look after you. Please?”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

“Now, can I at least get you something to eat?” Jack was determined that Ianto would eat something soon, he had a sneaking suspicion that the last meal he’d eaten had been that lasagne cooked by Rhys. 

“I’m not sure either of us should go down to the bar looking like this.” Ianto pointed at Jack’s face, still wet from the tears he’d shed. 

“You’re right, probably not a good idea. Why don’t I text Gwen and get her to bring some food to the room? Then I’ll get the rest of the team to come up here and we can discuss strategy. You up to that? Team meeting with food?”

“Yes, Jack, that sounds good. Thank you.” Ianto managed a small smile; he appreciated Jack’s acknowledgement that he had to be involved. 

“For what?”

“Letting me do this.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A timid tapping at the door signalled Gwen’s arrival, accompanied by a nervous cough from Rhys and Owen’s acerbic comments.

“Oi, Harkness! I hope you’ve got your clothes back on. There are some things teams shouldn’t have to share.”

Jack opened the door quickly, taking all three by surprise. He was in his shirt sleeves, but otherwise fully dressed, as was Ianto from what they could see from the door. Jack smiled at Gwen as he took the tray of food and then scowled at Owen.

“Trust me, Owen, there are some things I’m never gonna share with you. Any of you,” Jack whispered to Owen whilst casting a furtive glance in Ianto’s direction to make it perfectly clear what he was referring to. Ianto was sitting cross-legged on the bed, his back to the headboard, his eyes fixed on Jack, not looking at anyone else as they moved into the room.

Jack set the tray down on the nightstand, before joining Ianto on the bed. Gwen had been thoughtful in her choices, which hadn’t been easy from a limited bar menu. There were two bowls of thick, home-made vegetable soup, with fresh, crusty bread rolls and a cheese ploughman’s that she thought they could share. She thought it best to avoid anything too rich.

In a seldom witnessed display of tenderness, Jack carefully passed one of the bowls of soup to Ianto, along with a spoon and a paper napkin. Then he tore one of the bread rolls in half, scattering crumbs over the worn, patchwork quilt, before offering part of it to Ianto. He was rewarded by a smile of peaceful contentment. The simple act of sharing some food bringing comfort to both men. 

Gwen positioned herself by the door. She couldn’t help smiling with fondness at her two friends. She was pleased that they’d managed to come to some sort of understanding, although she never doubted they would. Gwen took Rhys’ hand in hers, glad he was there with her.

Meanwhile, Owen had walked straight across to the chair by the window claiming it before anyone else had the chance. Watching the interplay between the two couples in the room, he was glad they’d managed to get an extra two rooms, especially if they were going to be spending the night at the pub. 

Once they had all arranged themselves in the cramped quarters, which involved Gwen and Rhys sitting together on the floor, Gwen cleared her throat and addressed Jack with a certain amount of trepidation. 

“Rhys has an idea – I think it’s a really good one, so we’ve already started to put it into action.”

“What?” Jack looked across to Rhys and then back at Gwen suspiciously. He should have known that bringing in friends and family would only lead to this. He could feel Ianto tense up next to him, and out of the corner of his eye he could almost see the words ‘I told you so’ written all over his face. 

“We’ve been studying the maps, like you told us to, and there is only one access road to the main entrance for the caves. It’s not even a proper road, just a track that was used for construction traffic when the site was being developed. Well, Tosh has been using satellite data to monitor movement of vehicles since they took Ianto. It looks as if the car that we followed just pulled over and then drove off, probably back to Cardiff. The vehicles parked up by the main entrance haven’t moved at all since they arrived this morning.”

“What are you getting at, Gwen?” Jack frowned. She still exhibited the characteristics of a young police constable, especially when it came to verbose descriptions of the basic facts. Sometimes, he wished she’d just get to the point.

“Rhys suggested a plan to make sure they can’t leave the area by car, at least not for a while. Go on, Rhys-”

“Harwood’s Haulage, my company. I reckon I can get one of my drivers up here in within an hour. For a hefty bonus, I could persuade him to ‘break down’ in the lane that leads to the track. There’s no way anything could get past one of those trucks. I thought it might buy you lot some time.”

Jack smiled, yes, that’s just what they needed: time. 

“I have to admit that I kinda like that idea. You can arrange that, Rhys?”

“Well, I’ve already got him heading out here – he’s on his way. Gwen said I should do it. All I need to do is send him a text to let him know exactly where to drive to.” 

Rhys pulled his mobile from his pocket and started texting.

“Rhys, once that truck is blocking the way, I want you to pick up the driver and get back to Cardiff.”

“Jack – I want to stay here and help.” Rhys looked disappointed. 

Jack didn’t want to have to explain that this wasn’t an adventure and that, for Gwen’s sake, he couldn’t allow anything to happen to Rhys. He never again wanted to witness the grief he’d seen on her face when Bilis Manger had stabbed Rhys to death. Even though Rhys had no memory of that event, Jack did.

“No, Rhys, having you here is a distraction to Gwen and to me. I can’t be responsible for civilians.” 

Jack could see Gwen open her mouth, about to make some impassioned plea for Rhys to join the team, but he wasn’t in the mood for listening.

“And don’t even think of arguing with me, Gwen!”

The look on Jack’s face cut short any argument that Gwen was going to put forward. She could see he was deadly serious.

“So, tell me, have you worked out the best way to get us back into the main area of the cave system?” Jack changed the subject abruptly and no one was going to question him. 

Owen lifted a heavy looking bag onto a small table, that didn’t look able to take its weight. He drew out a lap top computer and a stack of maps. He tossed the maps towards Gwen and Rhys who unfolded them and spread them out on the floor, whilst Owen switched on the laptop. 

Jack took the opportunity to check on Ianto whilst the others were occupied setting up the maps. He was pleased to see that Ianto had eaten most of the soup and the bread, he’d even taken the slices of cheese that Jack had offered him. He was still very quiet and the tension had not left his body, although it had eased off. Jack was grateful that the others hadn’t made a fuss over him, it helped to preserve some semblance of normality, the business as usual approach was much appreciated. 

“Right then, I’ve matched my old maps with the fancy 3-D model that your Tosh put together and I reckon there are two possible ways in, as long as they weren’t affected by rock falls after the explosion in the caverns.”

“OK … and they’ll take us into the deeper caverns right?”

“Yes. But there is one problem. Unless you failed to notice, it’s getting dark already and these hillsides are dangerous at night by all accounts.”

“Yes – apparently there are dragons –” Gwen recalled her conversation with the old men at the bar.

“Dragons?” Ianto asked. He’d been silent up to that point, but he felt obliged to seek clarification, just to make sure he hadn’t drifted off and was in the midst of a bizarre dream.

“According to the locals, there have been sightings of flames and bright lights at night, and a dead sheep was found, charred to a crisp.” 

“That sounds like a job for you, Owen,” suggested Ianto mischievously. “You keep saying you prefer dead patients.”

“I don’t do sheep, teaboy. I’m a doctor, not a fucking vet!” Owen sounded suitably outraged and, despite knowing that Ianto wasn’t feeling one hundred percent, he just couldn’t resist the opportunity to have sly dig. “Or a Welshman for that matter…” 

“Whatever you say… ‘Bones’…” muttered Ianto. Jack nudged him gently, delighted to see a tiny spark of the sarcasm resurface.

“Watch it, teaboy. Call me Bones ever again and I’ll call you two Kirk and Spock. Come to think of it, there are definite similarities…”

“Thank you, Owen.” Jack put a stop to the bickering, having allowed it long enough to take the edge off the tension.

“OK, so apart from the dragons, are there any other reasons why we shouldn’t go out now?” 

“Jack, I don’t care what fancy gear Torchwood might have, there’s no way you can go wandering about on these hillsides in the dark, it’s far too bloody dangerous,” Rhys pointed out, determined to make Jack see sense. He knew this countryside in ways the arrogant ‘captain’ didn’t and he wasn’t going to back down. “The heavy rain’s made the streams treacherous up on the top. It might look fine from the road, but once you get high up, there are sharp rocks, boulders, steep drops, waterfalls … all very pretty by day, but nobody in their right mind would go out there at night!”

Rhys had got their attention. He was their authority on the local landscape and if he said it couldn’t be tackled safely in the dark, even Jack couldn’t dispute the logic of waiting until morning. Jack could tell that Ianto wasn’t happy about leaving it for several hours, neither was he, truth be told. But at least if Rhys could arrange for a blockade of the only road access, it would mean that there was a good chance that Gates and Barton would still be on site come morning. 

“OK, looks like we’re here for the night. But we set off at first light, which means sorting out kit and equipment now, and then getting an early night–”

“Jack, it’s only eight o’clock-” Gwen looked confused and completely failed to spot Owen rolling his eyes dramatically. 

“I’ll go check in with Tosh, make sure the Rift is behaving itself and then I’ll be in the bar if anyone needs me.” Owen gave Gwen a meaningful look as he made his way to the door, ‘accidentally’ kicking her foot as he stepped over her and Rhys.

Gwen glared at Owen as she pulled her legs out of the way quickly and then it suddenly dawned on her that Jack had basically dismissed them. He was still waiting for her to take the hint.

“Oh, yes. Sorry, we’ll, um… right. Jack, Ianto – I’ll see you in the morning … good night.” Gwen scrambled to her feet and dragged Rhys up with her.

As soon as the door closed, Jack turned to Ianto and putting an arm about his shoulders gave him a gentle hug.

“I’d invite you to join me in bed, but we’re already there.”

Ianto smiled as he took a good look at Jack. Only Captain Jack Harkness could conduct a mission briefing, maintaining absolute control, whilst sat on a bed, in his shirt sleeves and bare feet. 

“This is the first time we’ve had a team meeting whilst sitting in bed together.” Ianto chuckled quietly at the absurdity of the situation. “Let’s not do it again.” 

“Don’t worry. I’ve no intention of making a habit of it. Anyway, I’m glad they’ve gone now, aren’t you?” Jack circled his arms about Ianto’s waist, drawing him in to press a soft kiss on his lips.

“Yes, yes I am, Jack.”


	27. Chapter 27

Ianto was lying on his back, his feet bare, his shirt open, his eyes closed.

He was vaguely aware of a familiar smell. The scent of Jack’s pheromones. He tried to move closer to the source, only to find that he was pinned to the bed. Jack was leaning over him, gradually pressing him down into the soft mattress. 

Ianto shuddered involuntarily as he felt the weight on the bed shift.

“Hey there – you OK?” Jack stopped moving and held his position, searching Ianto’s face for an expression that would tell him what was wrong.

“Déjà vu – I’m fine.” The tight lipped attempt at a smile did nothing to reassure Jack, and he knew straightaway that Ianto was lying.

Ianto was tense again, tightly coiled like a watch spring. ‘Déjà vu’ he had said – damn, Jack realised how similar their present position was to the one in which he’d found Ianto when he’d rescued him from Morgan. There was nothing else for it, ignoring it any longer wouldn’t work, he had to ask him. 

“Ianto? What did Morgan do to you?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Although the lie came easily to his lips, Ianto’s body betrayed him and he was unable to suppress the physical reaction as he shuddered once more.

“Yes, it does matter. All I’ve done is unbutton your shirt and you’re trembling, and not in a good way.” Jack reached out to stroke Ianto’s hair, trying to let him know that he wasn’t annoyed with him.

Ianto looked away from Jack, fixing his focus on the paper shade on the ceiling light, unable to meet Jack’s eyes.

“Ianto, please tell me.”

“You’ll be angry. I don’t want you to be angry.”

“Not at you or with you, Ianto – I can’t guarantee not to be angry with what he did to you, and if you don’t tell me, then my imagination will fill in the gaps, and it’s working overtime here. I can’t allow that bastard to ruin what we have. We can’t let him…”

“I’m sorry.”

“Not your fault. Tell me – what did he do? Everything. The truth now please, don’t try to spare me the details.”

Jack needed to know. He had to know what might freak Ianto out and he had to undo the damage done. Although he had stopped Morgan from doing anything when he found Ianto, he didn’t know exactly what had happened the time that he bit Ianto’s ear and cut off the comm unit. He needed to know, however much it may upset him. It was something they’d need to work through together. 

Ianto took Jack’s hand, threading his fingers between Jack’s. He took a slow, deep breath and told him everything, including how it had made him feel, the revulsion, the nausea and the fear. Jack bit the inside of his lip to keep from expressing his outrage, aware that any Ianto may perceive any outburst as being directed at himself, rather than at Morgan. 

When Ianto reached the end of what felt like a confession, his voice had become quieter and less confident. When he reached the last part, where he recalled how Morgan had him pinned to the bed, he closed his eyes shut, worried that Jack would be disappointed with him for not having put up more of a fight and not wanting to see the look of reproach in his eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Ianto swallowed nervously and tried to move away from Jack.

It was all too clear that Ianto was blaming himself, hardly surprising considering the state of mind he was still in. Rather than respond with words, which, unless carefully chosen, could only add fuel to the pyre of self recrimination that Ianto seemed intent on throwing himself, Jack opted for actions. He leaned over Ianto carefully and started with his injured ear, carefully running his fingertips over the inflamed skin, before kissing it lightly. Owen had done a good job, but the bruising and redness from the vicious teeth marks were unsightly blemishes, reminders of what may have been. Jack would ask Owen to help remove any traces of scarring as soon as they returned to the Hub; he didn’t want Ianto seeing those every time he looked in a mirror.

Then he pushed aside the shirt, already unbuttoned, exposing Ianto’s chest, seeing properly for the first time the coarsely shaved patches, where Barton had stuck the electrodes. These he kissed with care, whilst purposefully caressing Ianto from his shoulders to his hips, letting his hands move firmly across Ianto’s body until he reached the bandage on his side. He was grateful the blade hadn’t gone in any further, a few centimetres deeper and it could have damaged a kidney. He pressed his lips to the gauze of the dressing, before moving to one side so that he could lie next to Ianto and see his face. 

Ianto had closed his eyes again and seemed to be breathing deeply. Jack felt the tension dissolving away slowly and knew he’d responded correctly. His anger would only have hurt the victim more. He’d dispatched the culprit already and, yet again, he regretted having given him such an easy death, especially considering the psychological damage he’d inflicted on Ianto. 

Running his fingers down Ianto’s chest towards the waistband of his jeans, Jack felt a shiver accompany his finger tips. 

“OK there – remember, this is me.” 

Jack put everything he could into ensuring that Ianto felt every touch was applied with affection and adoration, and not the desire to possess and hurt. Slowly he slid his hand inside Ianto’s jeans, feeling the warmth below. He heard a hitch in Ianto’s breathing, but he made no attempt to move away from Jack.

Holding one hand in place, gently cupping Ianto’s hardening cock, Jack used his other hand to undo the button and pull down the zip. Ianto began to breathe faster, so Jack slowly withdrew his hand and shifted so that he was able to press his naked chest close to Ianto’s, so close that he could feel the quickened heart beat. 

Placing his hands either side of Ianto’s body, to keep some of his weight off of him, Jack lowered his head until their lips met. He captured the breath of his lover, kissing him, languorously and lovingly, not allowing him to doubt for one moment the emotions he was feeling.

“May I?” requested Jack anxiously, ready to stop whatever he was doing if Ianto asked him to.

“Yes,” whispered Ianto in response.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” 

“Yes, yes… I need this.”

Then, without any further words, Jack made love to Ianto with deliberate care and attention. From the removal of every remaining item of clothing, to every caress and touch, he made sure each move he made was accepted before proceeding.

The only time Ianto did ask Jack to pause was when he wrapped his hand about Ianto’s arousal, but as Ianto felt the warmth from the palm of Jack’s hand, in stark contrast to the cool fingers that had previously insinuated themselves into his pants, he relaxed. Ianto relaxed even further as Jack kissed him once more whilst continuing to stroke him, every kiss instilling trust and draining away the anxiety and fears. 

There was no sense of urgency. Jack fully aware that this wasn’t about reclaiming Ianto, it was about reassuring him of their bond, and showing him that what they shared transcended anything that Morgan had either done or attempted. 

Carefully Jack turned Ianto over on the bed, allowing him the opportunity to prepare him with as much care and attention as possible. When Jack eventually covered Ianto’s body with his own, moving inside him with purpose, he finally gave way to the faster rhythm his own body demanded and thrust harder into Ianto, breathing faster and moaning loudly as he came. Sweating, despite the chilliness of the room, he wrapped his arms about Ianto, holding him tight as he smothered his back with breathless kisses. 

“Never doubt what I feel for you – ever.”

Jack’s whispered words filtered through Ianto’s defences and floored him. 

Ianto felt the weight shift on the bed as Jack rolled over to lie alongside him once more. He let his own body slump forward, letting his head nestle into the pillow which he gripped, his arms tightly wrapped around it. Even though he could feel Jack lightly run his fingers through his hair, Ianto did not lift his head to look at him. He didn’t need to see Jack to know that he was staring and that he was concerned at how quiet he’d been.

Ianto didn’t want to hide from Jack, but he had found himself totally overwhelmed. The tears had sprung to his eyes unbidden, trickling down his cheeks and making damp patches on the cotton pillow case. He didn’t want Jack to see them, he’d only think he’d hurt him or upset him, and that was far from the truth. 

“Hey? Speak to me, Ianto.” Jack spoke quietly, but his concern was palpable. “Say something, please?” 

Ianto was aware of Jack’s hand on his back and he froze, not wanting him to detect the sobs he was attempting to stifle.

“Did I hurt you?” Jack took a sharp intake of breath, worried that he’d misread the signs completely and made matters even worse.

Ianto shook his head quickly, desperate to reassure Jack that he’d done nothing wrong. It was as if he’d been holding so much in for so long, keeping a lid on the reactions to everything he’d lived through in the past few days. Weeks if he was honest with himself. The more he had tried to contain, the greater the pressure had become and it seemed that the most recent experiences had basically pushed him to breaking point. Gulping for air, he failed to rein in a sob that managed to break free; it had been Jack’s tenderness and understanding that had broken past the most resilient defences he had built. 

“Please, Ianto, was it something I did? Something I didn’t do?” 

“No, Jack…”

“You’re crying –” Jack didn’t finish the sentence, he didn’t get the chance. Ianto let go of the pillow he had been clutching like a comfort blanket and flung his arm about Jack, pulling him close and burying his head in the crook of his neck.

Taking the fierce embrace to be a positive sign, Jack wrapped his arms around Ianto and squeezed him as tightly as he dared. 

“Ianto?”

Lifting his head, Ianto rested his forehead on Jack’s and then, blinking away errant tears that refused to stop, he looked into Jack’s eyes. He was rewarded by warmth and encouragement, despite the fact that he probably looked a state, his own eyes puffy and swollen he suspected. 

“Thank you, Jack, for bringing me back.” Ianto wasn’t just referring to his rescue from the caves and as he looked Jack directly in the eyes, he could see that he understood exactly what he meant. 

“I’ve no intention of ever letting you go, so you’d better get used to me coming after you.”

Although Ianto knew that he had a long way to go yet, he was relieved to have surfaced from the numb miasma that he’d allowed himself to sink into. The emotions that gripped him now were raw and ragged around the edges, but at least they belonged to him. His physical reactions to permitting himself those feelings were intense, but as he felt himself crushed to Jack’s chest he knew that his lover understood. 

Kissing away the salty tears from Ianto’s face, Jack could feel the heaviness of sleep dragging Ianto away from consciousness. He was fully aware of how exhausted Ianto was and knew that he was in dire need of some rest, so he carefully manoeuvred him so that he lay on his side and then Jack curled around him, intent on protecting him from any nightmarish images that dared disturb his sleep.

Feeling the warmth of Jack surrounding him, both physically and emotionally, Ianto risked closing his eyes. He was relieved that this time the images he saw in his mind’s eye weren’t those of Lisa, or Annie, or even that of his own horrified face as the team shot dead the remnants of the woman he loved; the face he saw was Jack’s. It was almost as if his lover was projecting the image into his head, the upturned corners of his mouth and sparkling eyes sending unspoken messages of affection and devotion. He smiled back in return.

Jack felt Ianto relax in his arms as his breathing became slower and gentler. He allowed himself a sigh of relief and swore to himself that he wasn’t letting Ianto out of his sight any time soon.


	28. Chapter 28

After they’d left Jack alone with Ianto, Gwen had taken charge, just as Owen had feared she would. Despite his temptation to slip away and spend the intervening hours propping up the bar, Gwen sensibly suggested that they make preparations for the morning. Owen grudgingly admitted this was probably the best use of the time, but insisted on checking in with Tosh first from his room, before joining Gwen and Rhys. 

He was relieved to hear that Tosh was on her way home, taking a remote Rift monitor with her for company, the Rift predictor having indicated no imminent activity. She promised Owen that she would grab a few hours sleep, in her own bed and not the lumpy couch in the Hub, and then be ready to assist them the next day.

Owen made his way down the narrow corridor at the back of the building. Although he grumbled and cursed under his breath, he was grateful not to have to sit alone in the bar straightaway. Staying in his room was not an option either, as the walls were thin enough to hear more than he really wanted to from the room next door. It occurred to him that Jack Harkness couldn’t even whisper quietly.

As he entered their room he could see that Gwen and Rhys had been busy – and not in the way he figured that Jack and Ianto were getting busy. There were large, frail looking maps spread across the flowery quilt on the bed and Rhys was patiently explaining to Gwen the two routes he’d mentioned earlier. Gwen was trying to match them up with their tracking equipment, and the 3-D plans of the caves that Tosh had compiled. Shaking his head, Owen took the PDA from her and keyed in the relevant co-ordinates, readily bringing up a display of terrain overlaid with green dashed lines representing the routes they could take.

Leaving Rhys and Owen to sort out the best routes and discuss safety issues, Gwen sorted through the kit that Rhys had brought with him, dividing it up into three back packs ready for an early start. She set aside one bag for Owen’s medical kit and told him that she’d leave that for him to pack.

Taking the empty back pack from Gwen, Owen was pleased to see that she was managing to remain focused. He was also relieved that they’d accepted Jack’s orders that Rhys was to return to Cardiff. He’d expected more of an argument over that, but he guessed that Ianto’s condition had been of major concern to Jack and that even Gwen had picked up on that, eventually, and not pressed the issue.

Owen was distracted from his thoughts by an indescribably irritating tune warbling from the direction of the bed. It was apparently the ring tone for Rhys’ mobile. He was glad that the other man grabbed the phone quickly, otherwise he may have had to either throw it out of the window or break it.

After an animated conversation held in a peculiar mix of Welsh and English, Rhys terminated the call.

“Right then, Colin’s got the truck in position on the lane. I’ll drive over, make sure no one can shift the truck and then give him a lift back to Cardiff. You sure you’ll be OK, Gwen love? After what those bastards did to Ianto I’m not sure how I feel about leaving you …”

“Rhys, love, there will be four of us, all armed. Ianto was on his own. We’re just going to get the proof of what they’re up to and then we’ll get out of there and be back in Cardiff before you know it.” Gwen flashed Rhys one of her toothy grins, even though she knew that Rhys could see right through it. 

“Owen – what do you think?” Rhys had spotted Owen roll his eyes as he, too, had taken in Gwen’s futile attempt to pretend that there was nothing to worry about.

“Like Gwen says, we’ll be in and out of there pretty damn quick. And to be honest, I reckon Jack will scare the shit out of any of those fucking bastards if we do come across them.” Owen kept his thoughts to himself on exactly what he feared Jack would do if he did find any of those responsible for putting Ianto through hell. 

Rhys stood up and started pulling on a heavy jacket, patting his pockets to check for his car keys.

“OK then – well I’d best be off then. I’ll text you when I get home, love.” Rhys gave Gwen a bear hug and ruffled her hair to reassure her that he’d be fine. 

Owen looked away as Rhys and Gwen hugged, rubbed noses and kissed noisily, remembering why he’d asked for his own room. It was a biological imperative he reminded himself, when everything’s in danger of going to hell in a hand basket, humans felt the need to get in each other’s underwear to ensure survival of the species. Although that didn’t fully explain the noises he’d heard from the room next to his, unless there were other secrets that Jack had been keeping from him. 

After Rhys shut the door behind him on his way out, Owen looked at Gwen sheepishly and smiled nervously.

“Well, this is the first time we’ve been alone together in the same bedroom since I’ve been dead.”

“Your chat up lines haven’t got any better since then, Owen. Remember I’m a married woman now-” Gwen flashed her ring finger at him.

“Yeah and I can’t get a hard-on any more, so it’s a moot point. Look, I’m off to get a drink or four, I need to give the captain and the tea boy time to finish testing their mattress springs before I go back to my room. See you in the morning, Gwen.”

Owen made his way back down to the bar. Of the two choices available – either not getting drunk or not getting laid, he decided that the former was less mortifying. Then he snorted at his subconscious use of the word ‘mortifying’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack reluctantly woke Ianto just before dawn. Their room had become even colder overnight, as the heating appeared to have been turned off, but it still must have been warmer than that damn cave that Ianto had been chained up in overnight, thought Jack bitterly. He woke his lover gently, not wanting to startle him. He was glad that Ianto had slept through without any nightmares, although his relief was tempered by the realisation of just how exhausted he must have been. 

“Hey there, feeling any better?”

The incoherent mumbling would have been worrying if Ianto hadn’t crawled into Jack’s embrace, his arms sliding around his back to pull him closer. Jack kissed him slowly, relishing the opportunity to make the most of the shared warmth under the covers. Feeling Ianto’s warm, lean, naked body pressed close to his made Jack regret that there wasn’t time to do more than kiss. There were times he really hated his job, despised the demands it made on him, the way it forced him to have to make decisions based on what he had to do rather than what he wanted to do.

As Jack ran his hands through Ianto’s hair and allowed his tongue to delve into the warm depths of his lover’s welcoming mouth, he wished nothing more than to be able to take the time to heal Ianto’s wounds and to spend however long it took to coax him back from the verge of total despair. However, he wasn’t allowed that luxury, instead he had to rouse Ianto from their safe haven and propel him back into the underground realm of his latest nightmare. He couldn’t help but think how the fuck that could be fair in anyone’s world? 

They took it in turns to shower; the tiny shower cubicle in the en-suite bathroom was barely big enough to accommodate one adult man, never mind two. Jack took the first shower, affording Ianto a little while longer in bed. 

As he came out of the bathroom, following his shower, Ianto shivered. Jack looked up from where he was sitting to see trickles of water running from locks of hair onto Ianto’s face. He also noticed that Ianto’s eyes were still slightly bloodshot and the lids puffy, but at least he was looking at him directly and trying to smile. Getting up from the chair, Jack pulled Ianto to him, rubbing his arms to try to get his circulation flowing better, hoping that the shaking was just because of the temperature and not the recurrence of the images he’d been plagued with since Jack had rescued him. 

“Although I’d love to warm you up properly, we’re due to meet up with Gwen and Owen in about twenty minutes.”

“When did you set up the time to meet?” Ianto frowned, wondering if he’d missed something.

“Gwen sent me a text last night. She’s been busy organising everyone.”

“Figures.” 

Ianto had thrown the towels carelessly to the floor and was getting dressed as quickly as he could. Jack chose not to say anything, but he could read the signs that indicated that Ianto wasn’t quite himself yet. 

“There’s still some bread and cheese left over from last night,” said Jack as he peeled back the clingfilm that covered the remnants of their supper. “Do you want to share it with me?” 

“No. It’s OK, you have it.” Ianto frowned and shook his head, the mention of food making him feel queasy. 

“Either you share it with me, or neither of us eats. What’s it to be?” Jack was prepared to blackmail Ianto into eating if he had to; there was no way he was letting him neglect himself. 

“Fine then, you’re right. I suppose I should have something to eat.” Ianto really had no appetite at all, but didn’t want to upset Jack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once they’d eaten the remainder of their supper between them, they cleared the room of all traces of their presence before heading out. Jack hauled out a bag full of what Ianto suspected was a small armoury from the peek he’d had into it as they gathered their belongings. 

It was freezing cold outside. Jack tugged his great coat closed and then stopped in his tracks to double check what Ianto was wearing. Owen had been true to his word about stashing away spare clothes in the SUV, it made sense the number of times they’d get covered in alien slime or soaked through for one reason or another. Ianto was wearing a couple of thick jumpers, jeans and an oversized waterproof jacket. Jack hoped he’d be warm enough. 

There had been a heavy frost overnight; the windscreens of both the SUV and Owen’s car were adorned with delicate traceries of ice. It wasn’t light yet and the moonlight caught the frost as it sparkled on the ground and on the branches of the trees that grew around the small car park.

Ianto blew on his cupped hands in a vain attempt to warm them up, and then rolled his eyes as Jack took them in his own hands and proceeded to warm them up for him by breathing heavily on them. 

“Rhys’ car has gone. Let’s hope that he’s back in Cardiff by now. The last thing we need is Gwen worrying about him.”

“Yep, because we can’t let our feelings interfere with our job can we, Jack?” Ianto raised an eyebrow calling Jack on his double standards. 

“Not the same – and you know it. If it was up to my feelings, I’d be taking you as far away from here as possible.” 

Jack was painfully aware of the irony in that he could make the decision on Gwen’s behalf to keep her partner safe, yet he had no choice but to put his own partner in yet more danger. 

Leaning against the SUV next to one another in silence, Jack put an arm around Ianto’s shoulders and pulled him into the warmth of his coat. Resting his chin on Ianto’s head, he watched as his breath formed misty clouds in the pre-dawn air. 

Gwen and Owen appeared five minutes later than planned, carrying two back packs each. Jack and Ianto walked over to meet them, trying not to stare at the conspicuous lack of visible breath passing Owen’s lips.

“Are we all ready for a nice brisk early morning hike?” Jack grinned without humour, as he took one of the bags from Gwen.

Once they each had got their back packs on, they headed for the footpath across the road from the pub. 

The frost on the ground crunched underfoot, as the four made their way along the overgrown footpath in the early morning light. Gwen tripped over a trailing piece of bramble, to find Owen grabbing hold of her elbow to steady her.

Apart from the occasional snapped twig, the only sounds were those of the owls in the woods. As they made their way through the undergrowth, they heard strange noises, something snuffling and shuffling through the bracken. Jack held out his arm to stop them, Ianto almost walked into him, only to be firmly grasped and held in place. They all held their breath as a low, lumbering shape made its way through the gloom, the black and white snout clearly identifying it as a badger.

Gwen let out a sigh of relief, to be followed by the others.

They recommenced their trek through the trees until they heard a gurgling, trickling sound and then spotted dappled, silvery lights reflected from running water. Finding the stream was vital to locating the entrance to the cave system. All they had to do was follow it upstream until they reached the end of the narrow valley they were in. It became more difficult to see where they were walking as they moved deeper into the hills, even though above their heads the sky was beginning to lighten. 

“Do you know what this reminds me of?” Owen whispered to Gwen.

“I hate to imagine, but go on then, tell me.”

“Lord of the fucking Rings.”

“What?” Gwen slowed down so that she could turn and stare at Owen.

“Yep – Jack’s like Aragorn, all mysterious and heroic. Ianto’s definitely Frodo, may as well have a fucking great target on his back. And now … now we’re all off to find our way into the mines of Moria.”

“Owen Harper!” exclaimed Gwen, totally taken aback. “I never took you for a Tolkien nerd.”

“I read the books when I was at medical school,” Owen shrugged as he moved in front of Gwen, striding away from her. “So what about us two then? There’s no way I’m being the fucking elf…”

“Yeah, you’re more like that dwarf – always bloody moaning. Actually, I fancied Sean Bean’s character myself.”

“You would, you like a bit of rough...”

Gwen shoved Owen in the back so that he stumbled into Ianto, who fell against Jack. 

“Hey, you two back there!” hissed Jack furiously. “Keep it quiet!”

Gwen muffled a giggle, feeling like a naughty school girl. 

“Jack?”

“What, Owen?” 

“How’s Frodo doing?”

Ianto smiled into the darkness, secretly grateful for Owen’s attempts at levity. His teasing helped take the edge off the terror he felt growing in the pit of his stomach.


	29. Chapter 29

The stream disappeared into the hillside with no sign of a gap big enough for a rabbit, let alone a human, to get through. They split up, searching around the undergrowth in the dim light looking for the entrance that should have been there. Eventually, Jack saw evidence of a recent landslip, a tumbled heap of bare rocks, not yet covered in moss and lichens, covering the base of the hill near to where the sound of water could be heard trickling underneath. They’d have to shift them first before they could gain access to the caves. 

Between the four of them they managed to roll the boulders out of the way. The exertions causing them all to warm up, not a bad thing in itself, thought Jack, although sweating would only make them cool down faster once underground. 

Once revealed, the gap was low down, requiring them to lie flat on their stomachs in order to crawl through. They took it in turns to shove their back packs in front of them as they wriggled through the gap into the cave beyond, pushing themselves forward gradually, their feet slipping on the wet stone floor. Footwear was something that Rhys hadn’t been able to provide them with. Jack’s boots were fine, but the others were wearing trainers which weren’t ideal.

Using their head torches they made their way through the narrow opening; it was less than two foot high and they had to crawl for at least ten feet before there was room enough to get up on their hands and knees. Ianto felt his pulse rate increase as the rocks seem to close in around him. He stopped. Unable to hear Gwen’s feet scraping on the ground in front of him, he began to panic, not sure which way to move, terrified that he’d gone in the wrong direction. Then a bright light dazzled him. 

Cautiously standing up in the area beyond the crack in the rocks, Gwen had pulled another torch out of a side pocket in her back pack and was shining it in Ianto’s direction, encouraging him towards her. He scrambled through rapidly, grateful to see that he wasn’t lost and relieved that he was no longer alone in the dark. 

Owen came through next, with Jack last. Shining their torches at each others’ faces, it was clear that any residues of humour had been left outside in the daylight. Here the cold, damp air seemed to seep through their clothes, insidiously, chilling them to the bone. Owen checked his PDA and conferred with Jack before heading off in the direction indicated. They would use Tosh’s modified GPS to navigate their way through to the larger of the caverns, where they were most likely to find any stockpiled alien weapons. 

Jack let Owen take the lead, followed by Gwen and then Ianto. He stayed back, keeping watch on Ianto, ready to step in if necessary. Although they all looked pale and gaunt in the glow of the narrow beamed torches, Ianto had looked particularly troubled and Jack understood why.

The roof was still low enough that Jack and Ianto had to duck their heads in places, avoiding thin, pipe-like stalactites that loomed out of nowhere. This meant that they didn’t see Owen and Gwen stop suddenly and walked straight into them. They had reached the set of caverns indicated on the 3-D plan of the cave system. The torch beams no longer bounced off walls close to them on all sides, but stretched out to be swallowed up in the darkness. Jack slipped his back pack off his shoulders and drew out a larger torch that he handed to Ianto, then he reached in to extract the heat sensor that Tosh had supplied to Rhys. 

Jack moved in front to scan the area for any heat signals. There was one anomaly, although not emitting sufficient heat to be a mammal, it appeared to be too large to belong to any other creature they may have found living in the caves. He frowned, but was satisfied that there were no guards lying in wait. Then he took the lamp from Ianto and switched it on, this time fully illuminating the caverns.

Gwen gasped, seeing the extent to which the caverns went into the hillside. There were signs of the blasting that had been carried out to enlarge the area, as well as a number of steel props holding up the roof in places. This was definitely a storage area, there were stacks of metal crates of various sizes and dimensions, in neat rows along the side walls. Jack shone the lamp upwards seeking out any sign of security cameras. There didn’t appear to be any, but that didn’t mean there weren’t any. 

“OK, this is what we do. Open the crates if you can, record the contents, take photos, measure for radiation levels – all types, alpha, beta, gamma and delta waves. Don’t touch anything inside the crates and do not try to figure out what any of it is. We can do that once we get out of here. Gwen, you’re with Owen – I want you two to work your way along the left hand side. Ianto and I will work our way down the right hand side of the cavern.” He indicated the directions to make himself clear. 

“We should leave anything we don’t need to carry here. That way we can move faster,” suggested Ianto. 

Ianto crouched down to open his backpack, taking out what he needed and then pushing it into the crevice they’d just emerged from. 

As the others agreed and set to gathering the kit they’d need, Ianto slipped one handgun into a pocket and another into the waistband of his jeans. He had a feeling they’d need to be well armed. 

“Ordinary comms aren’t going to work down here,” whispered Jack. “So we need to stay together in our pairs. Don’t lose sight of each other – clear, Gwen?”

“Understood, Jack. You too, OK?” 

“You can bet on it,” Jack grimaced as he pulled back his coat sleeve to look at his watch. “Right then, we meet back here in thirty minutes, exactly.”

They spread out, two going each side. In their pairs, one held the torch, whilst the other opened the crates and took readings of background radiation, thermal output and various other parameters. 

They had reached a point that was half way around the perimeter of the cavern when Gwen and Owen stooped beside a cage that appeared to be the source of the thermal output. Gwen reached out in awe as if drawn to the creature inside, her hands resting on the metal bars of the cage itself. 

“Oh my God, Owen, look! It’s a –”

“Well fuck me-”

“What’s that sound?”

They leapt to their feet as they heard the distant sound of running footsteps – boots pounding along echoing chambers.

Jack and Ianto stopped where they were, on the opposite side of the cavern and looked to where Gwen and Owen stood. Above the cage a motion sensor had been set up to monitor its occupant. It was now flashing red and had obviously tripped a security alert. 

The sound of heavy-soled boots splashing through wet puddles was getting closer, coming from the direction of a manmade tunnel close to where Jack and Ianto were standing. Ianto gave Jack a meaningful look and then cupping his head, quickly gave him a desperate kiss, the sort that tasted of 'goodbye'.

"I love you," he whispered urgently and then pressed the recorder into Jack's hands, before turning and running off. 

“Ianto!”

Ianto swallowed hard as he darted down the tunnel. There was nothing else for it – Ianto knew there had to be a decoy to allow time for the rest to escape. He figured the others would be able to move faster through the caves without him, and not only that, these guys wanted him for some reason or other, so they were less likely to kill him than Gwen or Jack. 

Jack didn’t have time to stop him. Ianto was going to sacrifice himself. He heard Owen and Gwen running back in the direction of the place they’d started from and he sprinted across the cavern towards them.

“Get the fuck out of here –” Jack shouted as he threw his recorder across to Owen. “Don’t wait for us! Get back to the Hub, get Tosh onto this and make sure UNIT get their asses down here.” 

Then he turned on his heel and ran after Ianto, cursing himself for having lost sight of him, something he’d sworn he wouldn’t do again. 

“Jack, what the fuck are you doing?” yelled Owen.

“I’m going after Ianto!”

As he ran down the tunnel, the sound of shots being fired echoed loudly and brought Jack’s heart to his mouth. Unfortunately, the echoes in the caverns, coupled with the sounds being made by his own boots pounding on the rocky substrate, hadn’t allow him to distinguish clearly how many shots had been fired and if they were from the same weapon or different ones. He failed to control the rising panic and any caution was thrown to the wind as ran even faster.

Jack came to an abrupt halt when he rounded a corner to see Ianto pinned to the ground by a man wearing a dark suit. He had a foot firmly planted in the small of Ianto’s back and was holding a gun to his head. 

Jack drew his own Webley and aimed it directly at the man threatening Ianto.

“Put that gun down, now!” he yelled frantically. He couldn’t see Ianto’s face, but he could see his arm outstretched, grasping for purchase on his own gun that was just out of reach. He had been too busy focusing on Ianto to notice that there were others in the tunnel around him, until he heard a whimper from behind him. 

Keeping his gun aimed at the man in front of him, Jack backed up so that he could steal a quick glance of three men in the darkness, barely lit by the LED lamps attached to the head sets they all seemed to be wearing. 

There appeared to be a body lying crumpled in a heap, one man crouched over it, his hand pressed hard against a shoulder wound, blood seeping between the fingers. It looked as though Ianto had fired at least one shot. But Jack was sure he’d heard more than one shot ring out; he looked back in front of him, trying desperately to see if Ianto had been hit. In the darkness and sharp shadows, it was impossible to tell if there was any blood coming from underneath his prone body. 

In his anxiety to determine whether or not Ianto had been shot, Jack’s concentration slipped for long enough for one of the men behind him to step out of the shadows, and press his weapon to the back of Jack’s head.

The man restraining Ianto grabbed a handful of hair and jerked his head up, jamming his gun against his temple, so that any pressure on the trigger would result in the young man’s brains being blown out. 

“Do you think you can stop all of us? Without risking his life?”

“Please put your weapon down or I shall have my colleague incapacitate him,” said the man with a gun to Jack’s head. “Despite instructions to bring him back alive, there’s nothing to rule out an accidental injury, or two. If you know what I mean.” 

Jack had no choice but to go along with the instructions from the man in the shadows. Not with Ianto’s life in the balance. He put the safety back on and let his gun drop to the floor. He then received a sharp kick to the back of his legs, causing him to fall to his knees.

“Put your hands on the back of your head, please.”


	30. Chapter 30

Jack did as he was told and slowly raised his hands to rest them on the back of his head. He had yet to see Ianto’s face properly. He didn’t know if he had sustained any further injuries. His concerns were only escalated as he heard the man behind him using a radio to report to his superior. 

“We’ve apprehended the intruders that were detected, sir. Two of them, Jones and Harkness… Yes, sir, I’ll have them escorted to the reception hut straight away… Our men? Jones managed to shoot Barnes before we neutralised him… No, he’s not mobile – he’s lost a lot of blood unfortunately. What are your orders? Affirmative, sir.”

At the sound of a gun being fired, Jack spun his head around so fast he almost got whiplash. For one dreadful moment, he thought their captors had changed their minds and shot Ianto after all. Then he caught sight of the slumped body on the ground behind him, the shoulder wound no longer troubling the man, the bullet hole in his forehead having sealed his fate. The other man who had been attending his injured colleague just stood up, wiped the blood from his hands on his jacket and then walked over towards Jack.

Meanwhile the man who had coldly executed his associate turned to Jack, his expression betraying no emotion at all as he waved his gun in Ianto’s direction.

“I won’t hesitate to have either of you shot if you fail to co-operate. So I do hope you choose to come along quietly.”

Jack felt his arms being pulled behind his back and tightly bound with what felt like nylon twine. From past experience he knew that any struggles would only cause the twine to cut into his wrists. He watched on helplessly as Ianto had his wrists tied behind his back in a similar manner, before being dragged to his feet. That’s when Jack saw the scratches across his face, oozing blood and dark with particles of grit that had become embedded in the abrasions. Ianto had the good grace to look sheepishly at Jack as he caught his glare.

“You OK?” Jack asked gruffly. Although he was pissed off with the stunt that Ianto had pulled, he was also relieved that there were no signs of any other injuries. 

“Was trying to buy you time,” muttered Ianto, emphasising the word ‘you’. “Looks like you decided to pass on it.”

Jack picked up on what Ianto was trying to say; although he suspected that Ianto had intended for him to make a break for it along with Gwen and Owen, he was now trying to salvage the situation by getting their captors to believe that they were on their own. However, Jack’s decision to come after Ianto also made it less plausible that Ianto was not working with him. That could only make things more difficult for him. 

Jack could hardly put into words what he wanted to say to Ianto out loud, so he hoped to convey it in a single look, one that said ‘never leaving you behind, will always come back for you’. He was rewarded with a shy smile that acknowledged the sentiment and expressed gratitude. The exchange was brief, but enough for both of them to know where they stood. 

Ianto was pushed ahead first, made to walk in front of Jack. They walked in silence, both trying to memorise the route, so that perhaps they could make it back the way they had come should they get the opportunity to escape. 

They eventually reached the hut where Ianto had been questioned before. Apart from a few dried blood stains on the floor, it looked just the same as it had when Jack had rescued Ianto. The bright lights inside made both men blink as their eyes grew accustomed to the change in lighting. Jack watched Ianto carefully, gauging his reactions and didn’t like what he saw. 

They were pushed down into chairs and held firmly in place by the two of the dark- suited men who had escorted them through the caves. From out of the corner of his eye, Jack could see a light sheen of sweat on Ianto’s forehead, the muscles in his jaw clenched tight. 

“Ianto?” Jack whispered softly. He could see how the adrenaline was affecting Ianto, he was swallowing hard and his breathing had become shallower and faster. 

“I’ll be fine, Jack,” replied Ianto quietly, wishing he could believe that. However, he felt obliged to speak the words of glib reassurance, despite knowing that Jack would see through them. 

The door opened behind them, and although Jack was unable to turn to see who had made an appearance, he was not surprised to hear a familiar voice. 

“Good of you to join us, Captain Harkness and for your assistance in providing answers to some of our questions, ones that Mr Jones tried to evade. You nearly had us fooled for a while. Letting us think your ever loyal servant would betray you. But now we know for certain that you own him. Body and soul by all accounts. A pity, as that shall be the downfall of you both.”

“Gates,” Jack grimaced. “I’d say it was a pleasure, but it isn’t.”

“Likewise, you’ve caused the death of a number of my colleagues – I am assuming that it was you that shot poor, demented Morgan? And the two idiots he left on guard?”

“Those two got in my way, unfortunately for them. As for Morgan, my only regret was not making his death slow and painful. I showed him more mercy than he deserved.”

“Oh dear, I am sorry that’s the way you feel. You see we’re still prepared to negotiate, to strike a deal.” Gates took a seat opposite Jack and pointed at Ianto. “You let us keep him and we’ll leave you and Torchwood Three alone. For now.”

“No deal.” Jack shook his head emphatically. However, the fact that Gates had specifically mentioned ‘Torchwood Three’ made him think of Gwen and Owen. He hoped they’d got away; otherwise Ianto’s noble gesture would have been for nothing. 

“We could just kill you and keep him.” Gates shrugged. “But I’d like to have him co-operate and I doubt he’d do that over your dead body.”

“And I’d be desperate to work with you on account of your hospitality and warm welcome?” Ianto frowned in disbelief at the assumption that Gates was making. 

Gates stood up to move closer to Ianto, giving him an appraising look as if he had a card up his sleeve that he had yet to reveal. Ianto wondered where the hell this was all going to end and whether or not he’d even have the opportunity to pursue his own agenda. There was something that he needed to do and he knew that he couldn’t allow either Gates or Jack to find out, neither would be happy about it, but for very different reasons.

“What the hell do you want him for anyway?” demanded Jack. 

“You know how it goes, an offer he can’t refuse.” Gates smiled sinisterly as he took a step away from Ianto and returned to his seat. 

As Gates made a show of shuffling through some paperwork in his briefcase, Jack quickly stole a glance at Ianto. He was bothered by the way Ianto had caught his lip between his teeth, his eyes losing focus as he concentrated. He could tell that Ianto was up to something. The image of Ianto running off down the tunnel, after having virtually kissed him goodbye, came back to haunt Jack. It occurred to him that Ianto had fully intended to be caught and that scared him.

Fortunately, Gates interpreted Jack’s look of despair as a response to what he’d said. His smugness at having captured both of them had made him overconfident. He had the men from Torchwood Three exactly where he wanted them and he figured that no harm could come from letting them in on some of his plans. 

“Mr Jones here manage to keep a partially converted Cyberman alive for months. Quite a remarkable achievement. We could use those skills. What’s equally impressive is the fact that he managed to remove a substantial amount of equipment from under the eyes of both the prime enemy of the Torchwood Institute and you, Captain, the lackey of said enemy.”

“Are you talking about the Doctor?” asked Jack incredulously. “He’s not the enemy!” 

“Not yours obviously. But he is the enemy of Torchwood.” Gates spoke patiently as if explaining a basic principal to a new recruit. “It is enshrined in the original mission statement of 1879. As detailed by Her Imperial Majesty Queen Victoria.”

“She is dead. You do know that, don’t you?” 

The allegiance to Victoria reminded Jack of his past experiences with the original Torchwood. It only confirmed any fears he had for the sanity of their captors. 

“The Torchwood Institute was brought into existence for the sole purpose of protecting the Empire from alien forces,” Gates continued as if Jack hadn’t said a word. “In recent times, we have failed to do so effectively, with one notable exception. But now we have the weapons at our disposal to reclaim that Empire and to ensure its security.”

“You’re fucking mad!” blurted out Ianto. “It was ruled that what happened with the Sycorax ship would never be repeated!”

“We refuse to acknowledge that agreement,” snapped Gates as he scowled at Ianto for daring to interrupt him. “However, you, Mr Jones, signed a contract in London and swore an oath of allegiance to the Queen and that cannot be recanted.”

“I don’t have my people swear that out-dated oath-” Jack spat, getting angrier by the minute.

“Yes, but Mr Jones worked for us first. He is ours and we’re taking him back. The Queen reclaims her own. If he refuses, he will be found guilty of treason and this time we shall not hesitate to have him executed.” 

“I don’t get it. If you want him to work with you so badly, why are you prepared to kill him if he refuses?” Jack was genuinely confused. Although it was abundantly obvious to him that these guys had lost the plot somewhere in the prologue, there was something that just failed to make sense. 

“We cannot allow him to share his knowledge or skills with any other organisation. Including yours.” 

“Hang on! My organisation? I’m the director of Torchwood! I don’t know what the hell you think you –”

“Your Torchwood is not recognised by us,” scoffed Gates, shaking his head. “My Torchwood has remained faithful to the original statutes as laid down by the Queen. Those value that Miss Hartman embodied before her untimely demise.” 

“Do I get a say in any of this? What-” demanded Ianto.

“No!” Both Jack and Gates silenced Ianto, simultaneously depriving him of any choice in his future. 

Jack grimaced as he saw the flash of anger in Ianto’s eyes. He hadn’t been able to rein in his protest and he was in no position to explain to Ianto what he really meant.

Ianto took a deep breath and then, ignoring Jack, addressed Gates.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” 

Jack was stunned into a state of shock. He couldn’t believe that Ianto was actually prepared to surrender. He knew he’d pissed him off, but he couldn’t accept that Ianto would willingly give up so easily. Then Jack took a good look at Ianto and saw from his body language that he was up to something. Unfortunately, Ianto’s recent reckless behaviour did nothing to reassure Jack. He was frightened that Ianto’s sense of self-preservation was so badly eroded that he would take unnecessary risks, putting his life on the line without realising what effect his actions were having on Jack. 

“Good try, Mr Jones,” said Gates, clapping slowly. “But I’m no more prepared to believe that you’re quite ready to volunteer your services than your Captain is.”

“Didn’t say I would. I’m just curious.” Ianto shrugged as much as he could with his arms tied behind his back. “So, no job details then?”

“Not as such. However, I do think a little tour of our facilities is in order. Then we’ll discuss terms and conditions-” Gates paused to check a text that he’d just received. He frowned and then turned away from Jack and Ianto to gesture to his men to leave the room. “If you’ll excuse us, I have some rather pressing matters to attend to.”

Leaving Jack and Ianto alone, Gates left the room, locking the door on his way out.


	31. Chapter 31

“Gwen Cooper! Move your fat arse out of my face!”

“Are you sure this is the way we came in?”

“Yes – for the ten millionth fucking time! Now move it!”

“Owen? Don’t you think we should go back and wait for Jack?”

“And Ianto?”

“Well, yes, of course…”

“Gwen, please stop and think for just one fucking second. Ianto ran off to buy us time, so for fuck’s sake stop yapping and start using it.”

“But Jack-”

“Jack can look after himself. You didn’t think he’d leave Ianto behind, did you?”

“No! No ... of course not…”

“Keep moving then.”

“Hang on, I think I can see daylight.”

“Thank fuck for that.” 

Owen decided he hated caves more than he hated the countryside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Can’t see any cameras, but I wouldn’t mind betting the room’s wired for sound.” Ianto sighed as he turned in his chair towards Jack. 

Jack had also had a good look around the room, the ceiling was devoid of any fittings other than the out dated fluorescent tube. The walls were bare and the furnishings minima. Although there were no signs of cameras, Jack agreed with Ianto, especially as microphones were much easier to conceal.

“Yep, so let’s not talk. Wouldn’t want to give away any of our secrets now, would we?” Jack raised his eyebrows as he stood up clumsily and urged Ianto to do the same. 

Once they were facing each other, Jack leaned in as close as he could to whisper into Ianto’s ear.

“Back to back …”

Ianto nodded and as they both turned around he felt Jack’s hands grasp his wrists, before loosening the bindings. Following suit, Ianto worked on teasing apart the tight knots as well. They managed to loosen their restraints sufficiently that they could give the impression of still being bound, but would be able to escape if the opportunity arose. 

“Tell me about Queen Victoria,” Ianto said out loud, patting Jack’s hand as a signal. “I think I must have missed that session on induction day at One.” 

“Our founder?” asked Jack, grinning. He could play the game that Ianto had initiated – talking about one subject, whilst embarking on an entirely different activity. “You know what? I think she made quite a few dodgy decisions after the loss of Albert.” 

Jack smiled, despite the situation there were in, thinking that in any other circumstances he’d be launching into at least a dozen anecdotes and that Ianto would sneer at him sceptically. He hoped they’d get the chance to share moments like that again. 

“Oh yes, I do recall reading about some of those. She was quite hands on with her involvement with Torchwood then – more so than more recent monarchs?”

“You could say that. The royal patronage of Torchwood has always been a bit odd. And as for UNIT –”

“Ouch!” Ianto exclaimed as Jack managed to dig him in the side with an elbow, just where his knife wound had started to heal.

“Sorry – that still hurting?”

“Not all of us heal quite as miraculously as you do,” Ianto hissed quickly before continuing at a louder volume. “Only hurts when I move. So, UNIT – just how come they got to have a base in the Tower of London, while Torchwood got stuck out in the docks.”

“That Tower? Let’s just say that a certain prince wanted to serve in UNIT, in cognito. Wanted to see the world, kill aliens – secretly of course. So UNIT got a few fringe benefits.”

Jack started to turn around to face Ianto, only to find his arms grabbed as Ianto leaned back to whisper to him.

“Put your hand down my pants.” 

“Time and a place Ianto – this is neither!” Jack inadvertently squawked as he tried to get his head around Ianto’s peculiar request. 

“Just do it.” 

Jack quickly pulled up the hem of the large waterproof jacket that Ianto was wearing and then slid his long fingers under the waistband of Ianto’s jeans and dipped them downwards. He couldn’t help but grin as he felt the hard, metallic shape of a small pistol.

“Take it –” whispered Ianto, relieved that Jack had found the concealed weapon and not thought he’d really been propositioning him.

Jack carefully took hold of the compact weapon and, with Ianto’s help, slipped it into his own waistband, well concealed by his great coat. 

Then they turned to face one another once more and Jack took the opportunity to steal a kiss, determined that the one that Ianto had hastily given him earlier would not be their last. There was so much he wanted to say but didn’t dare to, not with the knowledge that their conversation was probably being monitored. Although it was frustrating, kissing without being able to touch or to hold each other, it was better than nothing and allowed the communication of affection to pass freely between them with no chance of badly chosen words screwing things up.

The sound of the door being unlocked alerted them to the return of Gates, but they didn’t move away from one another.

“Very touching, but enough of that. Time for you to see what we have built here.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was midday by the time that Owen and Gwen emerged into the daylight. The sky had clouded over, a solid, pale grey blanket blocking out the sun and preventing the frost from thawing. 

Gwen shivered and wondered why Owen seemed unbothered by the weather, before remembering that his body was no longer affected by the ambient temperature.

“Right then, no time to waste,” Owen said quickly, seeing the way that Gwen’s eyes were darting back to glance at the crack in the rocks. “Let’s head back to the pub and then drive back to civilisation.”

“Shouldn’t we wait a while? In case they’re on their way?” 

“No, Gwen. Jack was right – but don’t ever let him know I said that! We need to get this evidence to Tosh for her to analyse. We’ll take my car, that way the SUV is still there for them to use if – no, when – they get out.”

Gwen allowed her eyes to rest wistfully on the rock strewn stream bed for a few moments longer, before sighing and following Owen on the lonely track back. She wondered if she’d ever see Jack – or Ianto – again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack and Ianto were escorted separately out of the Portakabin, a pair of guards on either side of each man. Gates led the way, illuminating the caverns with a powerful torch, causing the stalagmites and stalactites to gleam in the yellowish electric glow. Their footsteps echoed eerily, a staccato accompaniment to the persistent dripping sound of water. When they reached the end of the cavern, they didn’t go down the stone cut steps, but took a steeper route downwards along a recently excavated tunnel, its walls showing the damage done by blasting. The tunnel seemed to go on for a very long way, until it opened out into a high ceilinged open area. It was colder and they were obviously going much deeper into the hillside than before. Near the tunnel opening there were recesses in the walls of rock, but the torchlight failed to penetrate the depths of the natural alcoves.

The centre of the cavern was occupied by a number of benches, well-lit with their own light sources. Jack counted five people in white coats flitting from one bench to another, viewing items under microscopes, scanning and feeding input into lap tops. That made their odds rather more awkward at five to one, and he doubted if there were enough rounds in the gun Ianto had given him to deal with all of them if it did get nasty. 

Jack could also see the blaster rifle taken from the Torchwood armoury sitting on one of the benches. It had been partly dismantled and the pieces removed were being scrutinised by one of the white-coated scientists, under the close supervision of a middle-aged woman. She gave the impression of being in charge as she acknowledged Gates as he walked in with his captives in tow.

“Dr Gates.” 

Jack detected a slight Scandinavian accent and could see that behind the woman’s wire-rimmed glasses shone a pair of very pale blue eyes. 

“Dr Bergman. These are our guests.”

The woman turned her icy gaze on the men, a faint glimmer of recognition stirring as she took a second look at Ianto.

Large halogen lights sprung into life, suspended from cables that spanned the roof space of the cavern. From out of the gloom, shapes became sharper, there were more metal crates lining the walls, a few opened to reveal glimpses of assorted items of technology. 

Jack really, really hoped that none of those containers housed the cobalt bomb that had vanished into thin air after the Battle of Canary Wharf. He’d assumed at the time that it had been sucked into the Void, but if these madmen had it, then the whole planet was in danger. 

“This is where we keep our Cyber collection.” Gates explained, although it was only too obvious what the cavern held. “The accumulation of items acquired by Torchwood after all aborted invasions, from 1879 onwards.”

Jack winced inwardly. All the events that Gates was referring to had taken place after he’d been recruited by Torchwood in Cardiff back in 1869. If only he’d been less obsessed with finding his Doctor, he might have paid more attention to what the Time Lord’s previous incarnations had been tackling.

“Unfortunately, we never managed to track anything down from the 1851 event. There were conflicting reports about the nature of the true threat and we have yet to establish what really happened, although there are rumours that it occurred at Christmas.” Gates turned to look at Jack, knowingly. “Maybe you have something in those archives of yours that may assist?”

“1851? Well before my time,” Jack shook his head. “Can’t help you there.” 

Jack could only guess at the effect that standing in a chamber dedicated to everything associated with Cybermen was having on Ianto. However, he found himself puzzled by the statement made by Gates. He wasn’t aware of the Cybermen having been around in the mid Victorian era. He’d have to ask the Doctor about that when he next saw him.

As the lights gradually grew brighter, the contents of the deeper alcoves started to be revealed. Jack blanched. Grotesque sections of Cybermen carapaces were displayed in each recess, resembling a nightmarish art exhibition. In one alcove, placed on a rocky ledge, sat the top of a head unit, its angular communication antenna dented but still intact. Resting on a stalagmite nearby was an upturned leg, the booted foot tinged with dark brown stains. 

A sharp intake of breath made Jack swivel around quickly to see the impact of the collection on Ianto. His face had become deathly white and his lips were parting as if to let loose a silent lament for friends he’d seen slaughtered. Jack wished he could take hold of Ianto and tuck his head into his chest so that he didn’t have to see any more, but that wasn’t possible. 

“What the hell are you doing with all of this?” Ianto demanded, his tongue sticking to the roof of his suddenly dry mouth.

“Collecting it. Studying it. Like we always have done. Eventually it will prove useful – with the aid of those with the relevant skills. Before his disappearance, Dr Tanizaki was assisting us, but we just didn’t have the right type of functioning power transformer. Those salvaged from the rifles weren’t sufficient for the purpose. And then you brought us just what we needed …”

“Oh fuck, I’ve done it again…” Ianto muttered, feeling his heart beginning to race. He’d unwittingly facilitated yet another opportunity for the proliferation of the Cyber threat. 

“Not your fault!” hissed Jack, knowing exactly what Ianto would be thinking.

“If you’d like to follow me, gentlemen. I’d like you both to witness the progress we have made.” 

Gates walked around the benches to an area that had been shielded from view when they’d entered the cavern. Jack and Ianto were pushed forward by their guards, who stayed behind, near the entrance tunnel.

It was directly in front of them, on the bench. The power cell that had come from Lisa’s head. Installed in a matrix of wires and cables, leading to a computer and via that to the head of a Cyberman, sitting in a Perspex box filled with polystyrene foam beads to cushion it. 

“This is very exciting. The acquisition of the correct type of power cell as allowed Dr Bergman to test her theory. She’s been exploring the possibility of conversing with the memory chip via the speech and language processor in the helmet we have here.”

“Converse? You mean you think you can interact with what’s left ... in that…” Ianto nodded towards the bench. 

A shiver coursed through Ianto’s body that had nothing to do with the low temperatures. He knew he was beginning to sway unsteadily on his feet, but he couldn’t afford to give way to his feelings. He realised he would have to wait a little longer. 

“This is where we believe you can play a very useful role, Mr Jones. We have reason to believe it will be more amenable to communicating with you. It knows you, it trusts you.”

“No…” Ianto shuddered at the thought. “Why…?”

“Why? Because it can they provide us with the correct instructions necessary to make all the weapons we’ve collected fully operational once more.”

“That’s not how these things work!” Jack shouted. Even though he had to admit that Gates and his scientists were very clever, he could tell that their obsessions had also made them dangerously deluded. They were crazy and their intentions towards Ianto were unacceptable on any level.

“Really, Captain Harkness? Perhaps you’d care to enlighten us?”

“Go to hell!” There was no way that Jack could allow Gates and his colleagues to pursue their insane plans. “I am not going to co-operate!”

“We’ll see about that,” Gates smiled smugly, yet again, as if he held a winning card. “We’ve already successfully transferred all the memories from the moment of conversion onto a remote storage device.” 

Gates picked up what appeared to be a standard memory stick from bench and waved it at Jack.

“Once we’d accessed the most recent input, the remainder was much more easily extracted. You really should see it, Captain. It makes for fascinating viewing – quite touching in places. Your Mr Jones is such a sensitive soul, but I’m sure you already know that.” 

Jack had heard enough, he could see Ianto’s pupils dilating and had sensed his body tense up. He was not willing to let him go through any more. He tugged sharply at the nylon twine and pulled one hand out through the widened loop. Tucking his hand into his pants, he withdrew the pistol that Ianto had passed to him. Whipping out the weapon, Jack pressed it against the back of Gates’ head with one hand while wrapping his free arm around his neck.

Ianto snapped back into focus as he realised what Jack was doing. He, too, pulled his hands free and grabbed hold of the gun from Gates’ holster that he’d seen under the older man’s jacket. 

Both automatically kept their weapons trained on Gates, knowing that the guards wouldn’t be able to take both of them out before one of them managed to kill their boss. 

“Drop your weapons or we will kill him,” Jack commanded in a voice that made it clear that he meant every word.


	32. Chapter 32

“I see I underestimated you. Both of you.” Gates was calmer than he should have been, but Jack put that down to his deranged state of mind.

“Too damn right.”

The four guards had advanced towards them, but had stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to do next.

“Do as he says, they won’t get far. Just place your guns on the ground.” Gates issued orders that were followed without question. 

“All four of you on the floor, face down, arms behind your backs,” snarled Jack. “One false move from any of you and I won’t be responsible for any loose rounds that may get fired if I get distracted. Got it!” 

The four men reluctantly lay on the cold, wet ground, following Jack’s instructions to the letter. Ianto walked over and after pocketing the guns, he used the twine from his and Jack’s bindings to tie up the two nearest him and then coshed the other two over the backs of their skulls, with the gun he was holding, to ensure their co-operation. 

Jack gave Ianto a worried look, concerned at the violence he’d witnessed, yet understanding where it was coming from. He raised a questioning eyebrow.

“It’s OK, just returning a favour. I seem to recall losing consciousness at least once in the past few days and waking up with a new lump on my head.”

“That seems fair enough then.” Jack shrugged as he stood, gun still aimed at Gates’ head, waiting for Ianto to return to his side. 

What Jack wasn’t expecting was for Ianto to walk across to the bench where the power cell resided amidst a tangle of leads. He watched on in horror as Ianto removed each and every cable, even the ones that delivered a short electric shock as he pulled them free without bothering to stop and disconnect the supply cable. 

“Ianto! What the hell are you doing? Those wires are live!”

“I know what I’m doing.” Ianto didn’t look up, he forced himself to remain focused. “I need to do this, Jack. Let me.” 

The white coated scientists had taken cover under their work benches as soon as they’d seen Jack pull a gun on Gates, but one was now starting to move. The woman who had appeared to have been in charge was staring at Ianto, a strange expression on her face.

“Ianto?” Bergman asked with a tone of uncertainty.

“Christine?” Ianto knew he’d recognised the woman. “Jack – this is Dr Christine Bergman. She was a senior weapons research team leader from Torchwood London.”

“What are you doing, Ianto?” Bergman moved closer to Ianto, distraught at the way he was yanking free leads and wires with no apparent care.

“You tell me, Christine.” Ianto looked up once more, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge the specialist.

“You can’t take that! We need it.”

“You were there, Christine,” Ianto said bitterly. “You saw what those monsters did. How could you work on a project to resurrect them or their weapons?”

“It’s what Torchwood does,” replied Bergman as if that’s all he needed to know. “Remember- what’s alien is ours.”

“What is alien isn’t always safe to keep.” Ianto took a deep breath and looked up at Bergman. He wondered if there was any chance of getting through to her. “Trust me, Christine, I know how dangerous these things are. You can help us – I know you’re not a bad person.”

“What the hell are you doing, Jones? You’re destroying everything!” Gates screamed, with more than a hint of hysteria. It would seem that Ianto was doing the one thing that was able to unsettle the man. “Christine – stop him!”

“No, Ianto. I can’t let you do it – this is our work.” 

Bergman lunged at Ianto and grabbed hold of his hand to prevent him from breaking the last connection. It was a futile attempt, Ianto pushing her forcefully away from him. He swallowed convulsively, knowing that if she tried once more to stop him that he would shoot her.

“Ianto?” asked Jack frantically. He was torn between keeping an eye on Gates, who had become increasingly agitated, and taking in the conversation between Ianto and Bergman. 

“Nearly done.”

Once Ianto had disentangled the ovoid, metallic capsule from its nest of wires, he warily picked it up and tucked it into his pocket. 

“You damn fool – that belongs to us!”

“It was never yours or Torchwood’s to have or to use.” Ianto was shaking, the anger he’d been bottling up ready to surface, yet he knew he had to keep it under control, or all would be lost. 

“Idiot – it’s too late for you now, you know. You’re finished!” Gates spat out viciously. 

“Jack?” Ianto ignored Gates and looked straight into Jack’s eyes, hoping for support.

“You ready now?”

“Yep.”

Jack wrapped an arm about Gates’ throat and squeezed, sufficiently hard to reduce the blood supply to his brain. He knew just how long it would take for Gates to lose consciousness and then let him fall to the ground. He had been tempted to keep squeezing until the last breath of life had been forced from Gates’ lungs, but he was worried sick about Ianto and what he had done. He needed to get them out of here fast so he could find out what the hell was going on in Ianto’s head. 

As Gates’ limp body sunk to the floor, Ianto stepped over it and roughly wrenched apart the fingers of a powerless fist to liberate the memory stick. This he slipped into the pocket of his jeans. Although it was just an everyday piece of technology, he could almost feel it burning through the denim into his skin.

Meanwhile, Jack had picked up the torch that Gates had placed on the bench nearest where they stood and then deliberately shot out all the large lamps that had illuminated the cavern. The large bulbs exploded in a shower of sparks and rained shards of glass, causing the scientists to scuttle even further under their benches. 

As the cavern descended into darkness, Jack switched on the torch, grabbing hold of Ianto's arm as he did so and the two of them ran as fast as they could. back down the tunnel. Within seconds, their retreat was accompanied by the sounds of alarm bells and claxons, resonating throughout the caverns and tunnels. A cacophony of hideous noises that seemed to drive them onwards even faster.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bloody hell, Tosh, it seems ages since I saw you last.” Owen sighed as he walked into the Hub from the parking area, throwing his car keys over his shoulder in the direction of his desk.

“Are you saying you missed me, Owen?” Tosh responded, flirtatiously.

Owen didn’t say a word, but having spent the last two hours with Gwen moaning about his driving as he skidded on icy patches along country lanes, he was more grateful than he’d care to admit for Tosh’s company. He hadn’t realised how much he had missed being able to discuss work with the less shrill of his two female co-workers. Although he couldn’t imagine that she’d be as passionate and physical as Gwen, he’d belatedly realised the potential charms of a more methodically minded woman. He was coming to understand that what he’d previously taken for shyness in Tosh had a lot more to do with her desire to retain control.

“You know me, I hate the bloody countryside. Well, I hope you took advantage of getting a rest, because we’ve got plenty here for you to work through. I know Jack is hoping that the evidence UNIT demanded is here.” 

Owen handed over the two recording devices that held images as well as measurements of radiation output. He could see Tosh’s eyes light up the way they always did when there was a puzzle to be solved. She loved a challenge. Maybe that’s why she’d never totally given up on him.

“If it’s there I’ll find it.” 

There it was: the determination to succeed. He knew then that whatever secrets those caves contained, Tosh would uncover them.

“I don’t suppose you’ve heard from Jack?” asked Gwen.

“Nothing. And I haven’t heard from Ianto either, in case you were wondering.” Tosh stated, not judging Gwen, but still irritated slightly that she seemed fixated on Jack. It was his fault, of course, all that flirting, but she really thought that Gwen had come to terms with that after the wedding. 

“I doubt if they’ll be able to use any form of comm till they’re out of those fucking caves and goodness knows how long that’s going to take. Pity I had to take that thing out of Ianto, otherwise we could have tracked at least one of them down.” 

“It was the right thing to do, Owen.” Tosh smiled at him, not wanting him to feel guilty about losing contact with Ianto and Jack.

Tosh sat back down at her workstation preparing to analyse the data collected, whilst Owen wheeled over a computer chair to sit down next to her. Tosh was pleased to have company again, although not a lot of time had passed, much had happened in the intervening hours. She was harbouring her own fears for the safety of both Jack and Ianto, and was glad to be given a job to do that would keep her occupied. 

“What can I do?” asked Gwen brightly.

“Do you think you could make some coffee? Or tea perhaps?” 

“Oh, OK then. I’ll try to get in touch with Rhys if that’s all right.”

“Right, Gwen, because he’ll need to know you got from the car into the Hub without being attacked or molested by aliens. Or are you checking up on him and his mate Colin?”

Gwen ignored Owen’s jibes and just stuck her tongue out at him as she made her way to the small kitchenette. 

Gwen had already been on the phone to Rhys on the way back, in between criticising Owen’s driving and admonishing him for every breached traffic regulation and contravention of the Highway Code. Apparently Rhys had made it back to Cardiff and was now firmly ensconced in a pub with his friend from Harwood’s Haulage. 

Owen busied himself with the background radiation measurements, while Tosh uploaded the images onto her computer and began to scan for similarities with items held in their own archives or in document files. Once all the data from the two recording devices had been uploaded she’d leave the programme running and help Owen with his analysis.

“Shit!” 

Gwen was startled by Tosh’s angry exclamation and dumped her coffee cup down on her desk, splashing lukewarm dregs onto her own keyboard. 

“What is it, Tosh love?”

“We’ve got a problem. This container here –” she pointed at an image displayed on the monitor above her desk. “The code on the side exactly matches one we have on record. It came from Torchwood One.”

“That’s not unexpected though is it, Tosh?” Owen looked puzzled. They fully expected the boxes to contain items salvaged from Canary Wharf. 

“That’s not the point. This case was tagged by Suzie – our Suzie – when Jack supervised the clearing of Canary Wharf Tower. It was designated for transfer to UNIT’s secure storage facility.”

“Oh shit, what the fuck are these bastards doing with it then?”

“That’s not all – I’ve managed to match three more crates from your pictures, with the reference numbers from one particular consignment that was handed over to UNIT. There were several large crates all dispatched in one truck load.”

“So that means you know what’s in them, doesn’t it?” Owen wasn’t sure he was going to like the answer. 

“Yes. The dismantled components of the weapon that Harriet Jones authorised for use against the Sycorax.” 

“Bollocks.” Owen knew it was going to be bad, but this was worse than he could have imagined. 

“What are the Sycorax?” asked Gwen, looking totally confused.

“Fucking big space ship in the skies of London. Looked like Tracey Island from Thunderbirds…” 

Gwen looked even blanker, if that was possible.

“OK, cultural reference before your time, and you must have been really hung over that Christmas.”

“Oh that! Rhys said it was all a stunt to get more shoppers in London for the Boxing Day sales.”

“No, Gwen.” Owen tried hard not to sound patronising, but failed miserably. “The Sycorax were a real threat – and Torchwood London blew them to fucking ashes. Everyone thought it was snowing.”

“Oh. I see. I can’t wait to tell Rhys-”

“Gwen, there are slightly more important issues here. Such as how come those crates got stashed away in a cave by a bunch of psychotic fuckers, instead of being locked away by UNIT.”

“There’s only one answer. They must have a mole in UNIT and they’ve been there since the fall of Torchwood One.” Tosh looked from Owen to Gwen hoping that they’d be able to come up with a feasible alternative to her conclusion. 

“Jack’s going to fucking love this!” Owen could imagine his reaction only too well, and wasn’t looking forward to whoever got the job of breaking that item of news to him. “Once he gets back in touch with us that is. I wonder where the fuck he’s got to.”


	33. Chapter 33

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This one is short and a bit cliff-hangery. I could be persuaded to post the next one sooner than tomorrow ...
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Ianto – do you know where you’re going?” Jack called out as they reached a junction in the tunnel network and Ianto took the left hand branch. He had to shout to be heard over the din of the alarms.

“Quickest way out - main entrance.” Ianto stopped to lean against the wall and catch his breath.

“Won’t that be guarded?” Jack asked as he rested on the opposite side of the tunnel from Ianto. 

“Yep and we’re armed. Hang on.” Ianto dug his hand into a deep pocket and retrieved a battered old Webley, which he tossed over to Jack, who caught it one-handed with a massive grin on his face. “You’ll be wanting this back.” 

“Oh yeah! Thought I’d lost you, baby.” Jack gave his beloved pistol a kiss and then tucked it fondly into its holster. 

“Only you,” sighed Ianto as he rolled his eyes. “I know how attached you are to that thing and when I found one of those wankers had it in his pocket –”

“Is that why you knocked him out?” Jack couldn’t help smiling. 

“No, of course not.” Ianto’s brow creased in a frown; Jack really did think everything was about him, which could be bloody annoying when he was right. “Anyway, time to go-” 

“Not that way,” Jack raised a hand stopping Ianto in his tracks. “Let’s try to get back to the other cavern. Maybe our kit is still there-” 

“Do you really want to get trapped in a tiny crack in the rock, with no way of moving faster than a crawl?” countered Ianto. “With a horde of bloody lunatics on our tail?”

“No, I guess not,” Jack agreed reluctantly. “But how can you be sure it’s this way?”

“I studied the maps.” 

“When?”

“While you were in the shower.”

“What? I was only in there a few minutes.”

“Bollocks! You’re incapable of having a quick shower, even when you don’t have company.” Ianto shook his head in disbelief. “Come on, we’re wasting time – trust me, it’s this way.”

Ianto pushed away from the rock face and started to jog down the tunnel leading to the left. Jack followed trying to shine the torch in the direction they were headed, but as he ran, the beam shifted erratically from side to side, which meant that they didn’t always spot rocks in their path until it was too late. They were virtually taking it in turns to grab hold of one another as they stumbled and tripped. 

Jack had his arm about Ianto’s waist, having hoisted him from a particularly nasty tumble, when they heard voices and footsteps catching up with them.

“Shit – we’ve got to move faster, Jack.”

“Ahead – there!” whispered Jack. “Look! - a rope ladder!”

“And?”

“It has to go somewhere –”

Jack rushed across to the scrappy ends of rope attached to worn looking wooden rungs. He shone the torch upwards to see where it went. The ladder appeared to ascend a natural chimney in the rock and there was light at the top, a pale circle of light.

“It goes to the surface – come on, Ianto!”

Ditching the torch, Jack pushed Ianto in front of him making sure he took hold of the rungs first. He had no intention of letting Ianto out of his sight, not now. 

Desperately the two men reached hand over hand, pulling their bodies up the rope ladder as it creaked in a highly disturbing manner. Jack wondered if it was strong enough to take the weight of two men at once, the rope itself pulled tauter as they neared the top. The sides were wet and near the top there were ferns and mosses growing on the walls, making the surface treacherously slippery. As Ianto reached the top and hauled himself over and into a mass of brambles, he saw the rope fraying and splitting. Jack hadn’t yet reached the top. 

“Jack – take my hands –now!” Ianto called out frantically. “The rope’s not going to hold!”

Jack reached out and grasped for Ianto’s hands, his fingertips brushing across the palms as he felt Ianto grab onto him for all he was worth. The toes of his boots scraped the ferns from the walls as he frantically tried to gain a foothold to brace himself. Ianto dragged him over the edge of the opening just as the rope gave way, pulling Jack over on top of him into the undergrowth.

They both rolled onto their backs and lay there looking up at the sky – it was grey, a very pale grey and there appeared to be fragments of something white drifting down towards them. Fluffy flakes of something that was cold as it settled on their faces, stinging the grazes on Ianto’s cheek and forehead as it melted. 

They turned to look at one another and sighed heavily. That was all they needed - snow.

“Any idea where we are?” Jack asked as he licked snowflakes from his lips. 

“Not exactly, sir, the map I saw of the caves didn’t show the location of rope ladders.”

“But I bet you’ve got a good idea.” Jack pointed at him and smiled broadly.

“Sort of, I think I might know our general location – but it’s not good.” 

“Where?” 

“In the main valley of the river Hepste.” 

“OK, and I take it you can give me a whole raft of reasons why this isn’t good.”

“I’ll give you four to start with. Don’t want to overtax you. Fast flowing rivers, icy rocks, steep drops and waterfalls. Not generally a good combination.” Ianto sat up and brushed snow from his hair. “Oh yes, you might want to add snow to that list.”

Jack sat up next to Ianto and put an arm around his shoulders, giving him a warm hug.

“Comms?” Jack’s eyebrows moved upwards as if they already knew the answer.

“In my backpack. Yours?” 

“Gates took my earpiece.”

“Great, so we’re on our own then. In the middle of the Brecon Beacons in a snow storm.” Ianto did not look impressed.

“Not exactly alone – we’ve got each other.” Jack pulled Ianto closer, attempting to cheer him up.

“Sounds like a line from a cheesy love song, Jack.” Ianto looked uncomfortable. “If you were even remotely thinking of bursting into song, don’t.”

“I take it you’re feeling better?” Jack enquired, the snarky retort from Ianto was definitely encouraging.

“Maybe.” Ianto smiled at Jack and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “Come on, let’s go. I can hear the river in that direction. We need to head downstream.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had been trekking for barely twenty minutes when they reached the lip of a raging waterfall. The heavy rains had caused the river to become swollen and the icy waters of the Hepste were hurtling over the rock edge and crashing into the basin below. It had been growing darker and both men had been concentrating hard on where they were placing their feet, taking care not to slip on the frozen layers of dead leaves that disguised sharp rocks. The driving snow had become more like a blizzard and they were finding visibility severely impaired. Ianto was glad of his waterproof jacket now; although Jack’s coat also seemed to be water repellent, as the snow melted, the water was forming beads that run off rather than soaking the wool. Ianto should have known that Jack’s coat would have miraculous water-shedding properties. 

Neither of them spotted the dark figures that crept up from behind, taking cover behind tree trunks. 

They were also oblivious to the red dots of light that zigzagged across their backs. 

There was no warning at all when a narrow beam of light, so bright it would hurt their eyes just to look at it, cut through the blizzard, causing the snow to hiss and turn to steam. 

Ianto slipped fortuitously at that very moment, so the first beam missed its target and just caught his arm as he swung it out to one side to balance himself. He screamed out in agony, alerting Jack who turned rapidly and pushed Ianto to the ground, so that a second beam missed him. Unfortunately, it hit Jack just below his collar bone. 

Jack gasped for air, feeling as if his lungs were on fire. He fell down to the ground shielding Ianto with his own body and as the two men clung to one another, blood from Jack’s injuries smeared over Ianto’s face and chest. 

Jack couldn’t reach his holster but slid his hand into his coat pocket to grasp another gun and looking up cautiously he blinked rapidly, trying to see where their attackers were lurking. As he dragged himself to his knees to get a better view, yet another bolt of energy, more powerful than the last, struck Jack square in the chest, propelling him back and into the river, to be swept away in the fast flowing currents.

Ianto turned his head to see where Jack had gone, and as he found himself losing the fight to stay conscious, the last thing he saw was Jack’s body disappearing over the edge of the waterfall.


	34. Chapter 34

“I hope, for your sake, that the one that went in the river wasn’t Jones.”

“No- he was wearing that big bloody coat – that was Harkness, I’m sure of it.”

“Good, because if it was, I’d send you in the river after him to get that power thing back for Gates.”

“Let’s just get out of here fast before we both end up in the river ourselves. I can hardly see the banks with this fucking snow.”

“I’m with you there.”

The two black-clad figures made their way to where Ianto lay face down, under an overhanging tree. The snow around him was tinged red with blood. 

“Bollocks, looks like you’ve killed him.” 

The first man to reach Ianto kicked him in the side to see if he’d move. 

“I’m not dragging a corpse back in this weather.”

“Just get that thing off him and be done with it.” 

The other man crouched down in the snow next to the motionless body and began to go through Ianto’s jacket pockets. He tossed three handguns onto the ground as he searched for the cyber power cell.

“Got it!” he exclaimed, holding the device out for his colleague to see.

“Give it here. I’ll put it in my bag.”

“What about him?” 

After handing over the power cell, the man who had searched Ianto pointed at him in a half-hearted way.

“Leave him there. When the locals eventually find the body they’ll think he’s just another dragon victim. Maybe we should add a few more scorch marks?”

Both men laughed cruelly at the gullibility of the local farming community. 

“Better not, that last blast to Harkness virtually sapped all the power. Bastard wouldn’t go down without using it on full strength.”

As they trudged back through the snow in an upstream direction, the bitter wind was blowing so strongly at their backs that they put up the hoods of their padded ski jackets. That meant they were completely taken by surprise as the shots rung out of the snowy landscape and each fell to the ground. Dead.

Ianto leaned up groggily in the snow, propped up on his elbows, the gun clasped between two shaking hands.

“That’s for Jack …and for Lisa’s memory.”

As Ianto sat up cautiously, his arm still throbbing painfully, he saw the congealed blood on his jacket and realised that it was Jack’s. Tentatively he reached across to feel his left side, trying to work out why it hurt so much to move his arm, his hand came away wet, sticky and warm. Ianto fell back into the snow as a wave of dizziness hit him, looking up through the bare branches of the trees he could see that the sky was now almost dark, but he couldn’t see any stars. The snow was still falling, the wind causing it to form deep drifts against the tree trunks. 

Fuck. Where the hell was Jack?

Then he remembered Jack going into the river and over the falls. He’d been hit by that weapon as well, but Jack didn’t die – did he? Maybe the alien weapon could kill him? They had said they’d put it on full power to shoot Jack. He had to try to move. Somehow. 

Sitting up again wasn’t easy, but Ianto managed it and took his jacket off and the layers of jumpers. He needed to wrap something about the wound on his arm to stop the bleeding. He felt weakened from blood loss, tired even, but there was no way he could submit to that now. He undressed quickly so that he could pull off his tee shirt to tear off strips of fabric. Cleaning the wound with a handful of snow numbed the injured area so that he could assess the extent of the damage. No bones were broken, but the area was blistered and burnt badly enough to bleed, most harm having been done to the skin and underlying muscle. He then tied a makeshift bandage around the area from elbow to wrist and got dressed again as quickly as he could.

Ianto got to his feet and followed the footprints in the snow to where the bodies of the two men lay. He wasn’t going to make the same mistake they’d made though, so he took the gun from his pocket and shot both of them in the head. Then he took the bags they had been carrying as well as the weapon that they’d used to shoot both him and Jack. Torchwood training on how to sanitise areas where alien tech had been involved was deeply ingrained and he couldn’t leave that lying around for anyone to find. 

Once he’d taken what he could immediately use, including a padded ski jacket, Ianto dragged the two bodies into a thicket and covered the bodies with dead branches and some snow. He then went over his tracks with another branch to obliterate traces of his own footprints and gathered up the bloodstained patches of snow to throw them into the river to be washed away. 

For safety’s sake he moved as far as he could from the banks of the river and made his way carefully along the edges of the undergrowth, keeping the sound of the rushing river to his left at he worked his way to the edge of the falls, the biting wind coming straight at him.

He wondered if he should call out to Jack, but thought better of it. If Jack was alive and well, he would have come back for Ianto, he knew that. The fact that he hadn’t returned meant that he was in trouble. But it was dark, Ianto was injured and he had no idea where to even start looking, especially if Jack had been carried far downstream. There was no option but to wait until morning. 

Ianto sunk to the ground and propped himself up in the bole of a large, gnarled tree. Folding his knees up to his chest under the waterproof jacket, he curled up as best he could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Still no word from them?” Gwen was biting at the corners of her fingernails now, she’d lost count of how many times she’d asked Tosh the same question.

“No.”

“Should have kept an electronic tag on teaboy – at least that way we could’ve found out where they are. Right folks, you two go home. I’ll keep watch overnight.”

“If you hear anything at all, Owen-”

“I’ll call you, don’t worry, Tosh. You too, Gwen.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dawn light was weak and feeble, and Ianto didn’t feel much stronger. But that wasn’t going to stop him as he slipped amongst the rocks and boulders that led to the base of the waterfall. There seemed to be fences surrounding the area, blocking access to the public, signs warning walkers that the footpath was shut. 

The barbed wire on the fences tore great holes in the jacket Ianto had taken from one of the men that had attacked them. But he kept going. He had a bad feeling about Jack and was growing more and more concerned. He’d been half expecting to see his grinning face spring out of the blizzard any moment, demanding to know what had kept him, but there was no sign of him at all, no footprints in the snow apart from those of a variety of wild animals. 

Ianto eventually reached the footpath that went behind the waterfall itself – that seemed to suggest that this was Scwd yr Eira. He collapsed into a snow drift and looked across the deep plunge pool, mesmerised by the cascading torrents of white water that poured over the edge to crash into the circular rock basin. He saw the roots of a tree sticking up out of the pool, then worked out that a whole tree must have fallen over the edge and then it occurred to him, in a moment of terror, that Jack’s body would have plummeted into the plunge pool. He’d taken the full force of that weapon in his chest first and had then been swept away. Ianto suddenly thought that Jack could be trapped in the plunge pool itself, maybe under the branches of that tree he could see sticking out of the water.

Dragging himself to his feet once more, Ianto stumbled across to the boulders along the edge of the pool. Although the water was turbulent and he couldn’t make out details, the glimpse of dark grey fabric caught his eye immediately. He’d know that coat anywhere. It was Jack’s. Ianto’s fears materialised into reality. Jack was trapped.

Struggling out of his jackets and jumpers, Ianto wrapped his mostly dry clothing inside the waterproof jacket to keep it that way. He shivered violently but there was no option, he needed to be able to get dry clothing on later if he was going to be of any use to either of them. Having eventually stripped off completely he lowered himself into the ice cold water, the shock almost enough to stop his heart. He gasped in pain, his muscles numbed briefly before a sharp stinging pain tingled throughout his body. 

He took a deep breath and then dived under the surface, feeling out for the fabric of Jack’s coat under the water. He could feel his way along the branches of the submerged tree, until he found the tail of the coat, snagged in branches. Ianto tore at it frantically, desperate to free it from the tree, then stopped and surfaced to take another gulp of air. Then returning to his task he managed to get the material loose and gathering it closely in his injured arm, he reached out to grab hold of Jack. He caught hold of a leg to begin with and then worked his way along to the upper part of Jack’s body. 

Luckily the ice cold water had numbed the pain of his injury, so he was able to hook his arms under Jack’s so that he could pull him up towards the surface of the pool. The weight of Jack’s coat and boots made him even heavier, but Ianto was spurred on by the adrenaline pumping through his veins. 

Jack was still dead. The only explanation for that would be if he had kept reviving only to drown again, trapped underwater. Ianto felt sick. He blamed himself, if Jack had been dying repeatedly in the frigid water trapped and unable to move, that was because he’d not come after him quickly enough. He’d not tried hard enough. 

Reaching the edge of the deep water, Ianto realised belatedly that he didn’t have the strength to haul both of them out of the water, the sides of the pool were too steep and the rock slippery with ice. He held Jack’s body close as he put his feet down, bracing them both against the side wall of the pool. Then turning, he saw that if he could drag them across to the other side, he could get to the shallower lip of the basin. 

After what seemed like hours, Ianto eventually pulled Jack’s still lifeless body from the water and fell to his knees alongside him. Then he made his way back, along the precarious footpath around the back of the waterfall, to where he’d left his clothes. He got dressed again rapidly; after all he’d be of no use whatsoever if he just curled up and died of hypothermia. Then getting back to Jack as quickly as he could, he yet again felt for a pulse, but there was nothing. What the hell had happened? Tears came to Ianto’s eyes, as pins and needles threatened to immobilise him. What if this was it? What if Jack had really died for good this time? 

No, he couldn’t accept that. Ianto slipped his arms around Jack’s waist and slid his inert form, along the icy footpath, to the hollowed out place behind the falls. He’d collect wood and branches, build a shelter, he could do that. Jack would come back to life. He had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More at the end of the week - going to Cardiff for a few days.


	35. Chapter 35

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back from Cardiff now, so time to continue from where we left off ... a cliff-hanger you say?? Surely not.
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whilst Ianto was struggling in heavy snow out in the Brecon Beacons, the weather had been milder in Cardiff. Overnight the light snow that had fallen in the city had already begun to melt. Gwen was walking through slush as she made her way across the Plass, carrying a bag of hot pastries for herself and Tosh. She wished there was something she could take in for Owen as well, something to make up for annoying both of them the day before. 

She stood on the paving slab that was the hidden lift platform and descended into the Hub. Tosh was already there, busy conferring with Owen. It didn’t take long for Gwen to ascertain that there had been no word from either Jack or Ianto. Satellite images showed that the SUV hadn’t moved from its parking spot, so all three reluctantly concluded that the two men were still being held captive.

Tosh didn’t want to admit to being hungry, it seemed almost disrespectful, knowing her friends were probably in grave danger. But when Gwen offered her a bag that smelt of cinnamon and warm fruit she didn’t hesitate to accept. She took it with her to the kitchenette to grab a plate and a fresh cup of coffee, leaving the other two to catch up.

“I’m sorry if I was lacking focus yesterday.” Gwen looked at Owen awkwardly, not sure where to start. 

“Apology accepted. But you have been a bit off the ball, Gwen. What the fuck’s going on? On the way back to Cardiff you seemed to be more worried about Rhys than anything else.”

“I know, I’m sorry. You see, Owen, it’s just that I always wanted to be able to talk to Rhys about my work. I hated having to keep secrets from him and I was so angry when Jack told me to retcon him that time. But now I can see why Jack warned me not to let him in.” 

Gwen sat down heavily on the edge of her desk, fidgeting with a loose strand of hair.

“Bloody hell, are you admitting you were wrong?”

“It’s just that now, I can’t stop worrying about him. I keep wanting to check he’s still there, still doing the normal things. You know, drinking beer, eating curries, watching the rugby with that great big idiot friend of his. He was so excited about being involved-”

“That’s the risk we take when we bring loved ones into our world. They can get captivated by the glamour of the underground base, the excitement of chasing aliens -” 

“Rhys isn’t like that-”

“I know that, Gwen. He was bloody useful back there, what with his knowledge of the caves and his idea with the truck. But he hasn’t seen just how ugly this job can get.”

“He does, I’ve told him all about that-”

“Have you told him about my certified zombie status?”

“Not in so many words, no. He just thinks your extra pale complexion is due to you being a Londoner.”

“Or that Jack can’t die? Or that Ianto’s deceased girlfriend tried to turn you into a robot before you stood by the rest of us as we shot her to pieces? That you turned your back on Ianto, unable to face the sight of him kneeling in a pool of her blood? Have you told him about that, Gwen? No! Of course you bloody well haven’t, because that’s what is so fucking lonely about this life. Having to do things that no one else has the balls to do.”

“He doesn’t need to know about that, Owen.” Gwen shook her head slowly, tears springing from her eyes, as she absorbed the harsh truths being dished out by Owen. 

“Denial – see, that’s the luxury of the outsider and one we can’t afford for ourselves, Gwen. Rhys coped well with the Nostrovite at your wedding, I’ll give him that, but that was personal and there were no moral dilemmas involved. Take Jack’s advice on this in future, he knows what he’s on about, got more practice than the rest of us when it comes to juggling relationships with Torchwood.”

“With all due respect, Owen, I don’t think I’ll be asking Jack for marital guidance!” 

“Point taken. Now you’ve apologised to me, I suggest you clear the air with Tosh, so we can all pull together to sort this fucking mess out. We can’t afford to waste any more time, especially as we’re two team members down.”

Gwen nodded her head and then dashed across to intercept Tosh before she got to her desk, balancing a plate on top of her coffee mug. Owen sighed, he’d never admit it to either of them, but he was getting very worried about Jack and Ianto. The fact that there had been no communication could be explained by loss of earpieces or other factors. The inescapable fact that the SUV hadn’t moved and was now sitting under several inches of snow in a pub car park was more worrying.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Tosh – I’m sorry if I pissed you off yesterday. I know I wasn’t pulling my weight.” Gwen took a sip of the cup of instant coffee they’d resorted to making, not wanting to risk touching the coffee machine.

“You did seem rather distracted, Gwen. Have you got whatever it was out of your system?”

“I think so, yes. So, anyway, I was thinking that I should do some background research on some of the stories those old boys in the pub were telling me.”

“That sounds like a good idea. The more we can find out the better. Oh, and Gwen? Thanks for the pastry, it’s delicious.”

“You’re welcome, Tosh. Now, back to work.”

Gwen was determined not to let the team down and set about using her police skills as best she could. She read through every filed report of strange goings on in the area where the caves were situated and almost became glued to her phone talking to local police and the witnesses that they referred her to. There were several reports of singed livestock as well as fires starting up unaccountably. All within the past few months. 

Meanwhile, Tosh and Owen concentrated their efforts on finding someone in UNIT who would take them seriously. They’d get through to secretaries, only to be told that their superiors would only talk to either Jack himself or his more helpful PA, which they assumed meant Ianto. It occurred to Tosh that they usually spoke with Ianto, as he was much better at maintaining the perfectly calm and polite demeanour that succeeded, where Jack’s zero tolerance policy for all bureaucrats invariably failed. 

Having exhausted all potential contacts as listed in Jack’s files, Owen tried to get in touch with Martha, even though she was a medical officer, he thought she might know who could be trusted. Tosh began to go through records of UNIT personnel to see if she could narrow down a list of the most likely suspects for mole. She also tried to pull up those records pertaining to the removal of alien technology from Canary Wharf, checking to see whose signatures were on documents authorising transport of material. It was going to take a while, but she was determined to find an answer, because Jack and Ianto needed them to succeed in getting UNIT mobilised. 

It was late afternoon when Gwen received a call from the police officer she’d been talking to earlier in the day. She hushed the others as she sensed this call was of a more serious nature than the earlier, light-hearted discussions of dragons and fireworks in the hills.

“A new development you say. Today?”

Gwen’s expression became even more solemn.

“Two bodies found in the Hepste Valley. Oh my God… the mortuary in Cardiff? We’ll get over there as soon as possible. In the meantime, I am ordering you to pull all your men out of the area… no, you have to call off the SOCCO team and leave the site immediately. This is now under Torchwood jurisdiction. Nobody is to enter the area. I want all footpaths and access routes blocked and under police guard. I’ll be in touch to confirm these instructions shortly.”

“What’s going on, Gwen?” Tosh demanded.

“A group of ramblers hiking in the valley came across two bodies. Half-buried in the snow. They’d been stripped and shot. Police have cordoned off the area, it looks like these men were executed.” Gwen put her hand over her mouth unwilling to put into words her fears, although her eyes looked like saucers ready to spill tears down her cheeks. “Oh my God, they must be-” 

“Stop it, Gwen. There’s no way of telling until we see them for ourselves. Owen?”

“Tosh – get on to the blokes at the hospital, tell them not to touch or go near the bodies, my orders. They’ll understand. Gwen, stay here, no arguing, you need to keep the local coppers out of the way and to monitor the situation. Anything they’ve already got, we need. Tosh, you’re coming with me.”


	36. Chapter 36

Taking a deep gasp for air, Jack found he couldn’t get any in because his airways were still water logged. Vaguely aware that his body had been placed in the recovery position, he choked and gasped, expelling the fluid from his lungs so that he could get much needed oxygen into his system. Spluttering back to life, he then vomited up the contents of his stomach, watery bile and green scum. Not the easiest passage back into the world of the living, he thought, his throat hurting from the forceful expulsion of the cold liquid from his lungs and guts. Even his nose hurt like hell, the dry air rasping delicate surfaces across which ice cold water had just been ejected.

Looking around, Jack was confused to find himself in what seemed to be a cave, the back wall of which was verdant with glossy ferns and shimmering liverworts. As awareness of his surroundings grew, he realised that he was lying on what appeared to be a bed of leaves on which a haphazard mixture of dark, unfamiliar clothing had been layered. Recognising the familiar sensation of bare skin against fabric, he peeked under his greatcoat, which had been placed over him like a blanket, to find that someone had efficiently stripped him down and covered him with random articles of clothing to keep him dry and warm. He grinned, figuring out just who would do that. 

Jack then shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the rushing sound of water from his ears, but to no avail. Working out that the sound was coming from behind him, he turned over to see a sheet of water forming a curtain, from which emanated a thunderous roar. Where the hell was he?

Sitting up, he could then see that beyond the place where he had been lying, there was a small fire glowing in the centre of a rough circle of rocks, pieces of wood arranged next to it, drying out ready to be added. Nearby, some branches had been arranged into a rickety framework, over which he could see the rest of his clothing hung in an optimistic attempt to get it dry. How long had he been dead this time?

Where was Ianto?

Jack got to his feet unsteadily and wrapped the greatcoat about his naked body before wandering along a footpath. It wasn’t long before he caught sight of a solitary figure perched on one of the larger boulders. Ianto. His head bowed forward, quietly contemplating something in his hand, turning it over and over and just staring at it.

“Hey there!”

“Welcome back. Took you long enough.” A smile spread across a weary looking face giving away the relief that flooded through Ianto’s body. He’d been worried sick, it had been many hours since he’d dragged Jack out of the ice cold water and his body had remained frozen all this time, the lips blue and the eyes circled with dark shadows. 

“I just woke up and found myself stripped bare – don’t tell me you’ve developed a kink for taking advantage of me while I’m dead?”

“No, Jack. I just didn’t think you’d like waking up in cold, wet clothing. After all, you make enough fuss about wet patches on sheets.”

Ianto stood up, pocketed whatever he’d been staring at and made his way to join Jack.

Meanwhile, Jack appeared to have become distracted by the plunge pool, there was something about it that made him shudder and wrap his coat about him even tighter. Then he glanced down and saw where it had been ripped and torn. 

“I was trapped underwater.” Jack frowned as he gazed at the roots of the dead tree sticking up out of the water.

“Yep.”

“It’s coming back now, as soon as I came around I was struggling and couldn’t get free. Then I drowned again. I kept on drowning.”

“Your coat had got caught up in those branches and the material was tangled about your legs. I think that counts as death by great coat. A coat which also appears to have remarkable water repellent qualities - it's not alien is it?”

Jack was still staring at the submerged tree and shaking his head.

“How the hell did I get out of that one? Ianto?” Jack took a proper look at Ianto’s face and was shocked at how dreadful he looked, the scratches standing out starkly on the pale skin, smeared with dirt and grime. He was biting his lip, looking for all the world as if guilt was eating him up inside. 

“It’s my fault. I waited overnight before I came looking for you – it’s because I wasn’t quick enough. I just assumed you’d be able to look after yourself – I didn’t get here in time-”

Jack failed to stop Ianto’s litany of self recrimination by gentle hushing sounds, so resorted to grabbing hold of him forcefully and holding him so tight that he couldn’t say another word.

“Stop that! Would I be right in thinking that you dived into ice cold water and dragged my sorry ass out of that pool?”

As his face was pressed into Jack’s chest, Ianto was unable to speak, so he nodded.

“Thought so – that means you rescued me, Ianto. That’s all that matters. Thank you.”

Jack held Ianto close for a while, not sure if the shaking was due to the cold wind or the emotion of the moment, but then realised that they were both shivering. He kissed Ianto on the top of his head and then moved away slightly.

“Let’s go see if my clothes are dry enough to wear. It’s too damn cold for even me to go naked.”

Ianto mumbled something along the lines of there being a first time for everything and then turned as if to head back into the sheltered area behind the waterfall, only to find himself tugged back into place. 

“Ianto? You’re covered in blood! What the hell?” Jack had just caught sight of the dark red blood stains that covered the front of Ianto’s clothing.

“It’s OK – it’s yours, well most of it is.” He said dismissively, trying to pull away from the firm grip on his arms.

That only worried Jack more, especially when he noticed that Ianto’s left arm appeared to be thicker, as if padded, so he rolled up Ianto’s jacket sleeve to see the makeshift blood stained bandages.

“Ianto? What happened?”

“Short version – you got shot and died. I got winged and left for dead.”

“OK. I think I need a bit more to go on than that – remind me, how long ago did this happen?”

“Um, almost two days ago. It will be night again soon and you were shot yesterday.”

Shit – that would explain why Ianto had stubble on his chin.

Ianto had moved out of Jack’s grasp and was busying himself checking the items of clothing that were hanging in front of the fire. Jack joined him, rubbing his hands to warm them above the glowing embers.

“I’m curious, Ianto, how did you manage to light a fire? I can’t see you as a boy scout rubbing sticks together.”

“Nope, and I didn’t bash rocks together either. Long story short, the weapon we were hit with discharges heat energy and I used it to ignite some bits of wood.” Ianto handed Jack a pair of boxers and a tee shirt, both more or less dry.

“Longer version needed here – how the hell did you get hold of that weapon?”

Ianto took hold of the coat passed to him and crouched next to the fire as Jack started to get dressed.

“Bad guys came after the power cell. Luckily for me, they thought I was already dead. Unlucky for them, I wasn’t.”

“Explain.” 

Jack’s eyes fixed on Ianto, giving him a direct order as his superior now, not as his lover. He didn’t fail to notice the hesitation or the way that Ianto swallowed hard before answering him.

“I shot them.” 

“You killed them? Both of them?”

“What would you have done?” Ianto frowned; baffled by the fact that Jack seemed upset with what he’d done.

“The same. But, Ianto, that’s not how you do things.”

Ianto wrapped his arms about the coat as if taking comfort from it and looked to the ground as he tried to justify his actions. 

“No choice really, I couldn’t let them leave. Not with… that. And if they weren’t dead they could have come after us. Couldn’t risk that. Second chances – never a good idea.”

“How are you feeling, Ianto? Honestly?” Jack was gently taking the coat from Ianto and pulling it on, as he asked him the one question he really hoped he’d get a complete answer to. 

“Like shit. I thought you weren’t coming back, that I’d been too late, but I couldn’t leave you… and I’m so fucking cold and hungry… but, I’ve been thinking… and it seems to me that if I can play a part in shutting these guys down, stopping them from perpetuating all that was wrong about Torchwood London, then perhaps I will have made amends for what I did… What do you think?”

Jack sat behind Ianto and wrapping his arms around him, he pulled him close to his body before answering. 

“I don’t think you need to make amends, but I can see that you believe you do. I’ll make sure you get your chance to see this through, because I want you back, Ianto, back to me as you were.”


	37. Chapter 37

Owen drove to the mortuary with Tosh, neither of them saying a word. Both were totally focused and neither of them dared ask the question that lingered in the air between them. The ‘what if…?’ question could not be given breath for fear of giving it power. 

Owen reached out to squeeze Tosh’s hand as they were escorted into the room where the two corpses, still sealed in white body bags, were laid out on slabs ready for viewing. They would deal with this together. 

Once the door was shut behind them, Owen walked over to the nearest body, the chart stated the basic facts – male, approximately six foot tall, dark hair. 

Taking hold of the zipper, Owen looked over to Tosh, before proceeding to tug it down and around the head to reveal the occupant. They both let out a sigh of relief as it became apparent that the body was not that of either Jack or Ianto. Tosh checked the other body as Owen waited – again it was that of a stranger.

Now Owen knew for certain that the bodies were not those of Jack and Ianto, he peeled the covers back off the bodies and gave instructions to Tosh.

“You’d better call Gwen and let her know the good news. See if she’s got any more details from the police while you’re on the phone. I just need to confirm cause of death. Then you can get some mug shots and cross match them against that list of potential Torchwood renegades that Ianto drew up.” 

“Onto it, Owen.” Tosh already had her mobile out and was calling Gwen on speed dial.

By the time that Tosh had finished reassuring Gwen, Owen had finished with one body and was working his way methodically down the second.

“Time of death can’t be easily ascertained, core body temperature would have plummeted pretty fast out there in the snow and decomposition also delayed due to sub zero temperatures. But my gut feeling is that they’ve not been dead for long, day or two at most.

“Today or yesterday then.”

“Most likely. Anyway, both were shot in the back from a distance of several metres, unless I cut them open I can’t tell which chest organs were damaged, but then each was shot again in the head at close range. Ambushed maybe? Then a final head shot to make sure they didn’t get up again. Someone meant business here.”

“The police report said they’d been stripped to their underwear?”

“Yeah, but they weren’t naked at the time of death, I found fibres in the entry wounds. They were stripped afterwards.” Owen looked perplexed; he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to strip two dead bodies. 

“Did Gwen say if the police found the clothing?”

“Apparently not, the bodies had been dragged to the side of the path and buried in a snow drift. If they were just searched, then whoever did it would have dumped the clothes, wouldn’t they? Why would the killer take their clothes?”

“I haven’t a fucking clue. The more important question is who? Who killed them?”

“Jack?”

“Yeah, that crossed my mind, too. That sort of ruthless dispatch reminds me of an assassin’s hit. Definitely Jack’s style.” 

“So, if these bodies were found buried in snow, along the river valley, wouldn’t that suggest that Jack is out of the caves?”

“Yes, Tosh. I wouldn’t mind betting that Ianto is with him, he wouldn’t have left him behind.”

“So they’re probably both out there, in this awful weather?”

“Fancy a trip out to the Brecon Beacons?”

“What about Gwen? Take her, I’ll work on the identities of these two and see if we’ve heard back from Martha. It’s vital that we get through to UNIT.”

“I suppose you’re right. Let’s just hope the pair of them use some common sense. I’ll be really pissed off if I end up dealing with hypothermia again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“With all due respect to what you’ve done here, Ianto, I really think we need to find some better shelter for the night.”

“That’s fine by me. I’d rather not staying another night outdoors in this.”

“Really? Even if I promised to keep you warm?”

“What? Getting my kit off to jump in that water nearly killed me Jack. There’s no way you could persuade me to expose any part of my anatomy to this weather.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Trust me, the effects of sub zero temperatures would spoil any fun you might think you’d get.”

“So, what you’re saying it that if we get back to the pub, you’re all mine?”

“No, if we get back there, we’re taking the SUV back to Cardiff and I’m going home for a hot bath to thaw out before I’ll agree to anything.”

“How far do you think we are from the village where the pub is?”

“Ystradfellte? About three or four miles, I’d guess.”

“Then let’s make a start as soon as we can.”

“Good idea. You can put the fire out and get rid of any evidence it was there and I’ll gather up what we can use in those two bags.”

Ianto had reached into his pocket to check the power cell was still there and stroked it with his thumb whilst talking to Jack. He was barely aware that he was doing it, but he felt compelled to make sure he hadn’t lost it and that it was still safe. 

Jack gathered some snow to put on the flickering pieces of wood that still burned in the stone hearth. Once he was sure the fire was out, he knocked the rocks inwards so their soot covered surfaces were hidden from view. Then he waited a while and watched Ianto as he set about packing the bags using just his right hand.

“That arm’s bothering you isn’t it?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was fine?”

“No. Let me have a look at it.”

Ianto slipped the jacket sleeve from his left arm and held it out palm upwards for Jack to look at. Jack carefully rolled back the sleeves to reveal the whole bandage that Ianto had wrapped from elbow to wrist. It had obviously got wet at some point, there were washed out bloodstains as well as darker ones. He untied the knot at one end and then gently began to unpeel the material, he only managed to remove two layers before it became obvious that the fabric had become stuck to the open, blistered wound. Ianto couldn’t hold back a sharp intake of breath as the burning pain resurged. 

“I’ve been putting snow on it to numb the pain, seemed to keep it manageable.” 

“OK, that does it. We’re definitely heading back now. I want Owen to deal with that as soon as possible. You should have said earlier –”

“We don’t have a medical kit here, so it made no difference.”

“Well, you can at least let me finish off around here. What were you going to do with this?”

Jack pointed at the mattress of leaves and items of clothing that Ianto had put underneath him as a cushion between his dead body and the hard, rock strewn floor.

“Roll up the clothing, hide it under the rocks back there.” Ianto indicated a heap of large rocks that must have come loose in a rock fall not long ago, if the lack of moss was anything to go by.

“Fine, I’ll do that. You can make sure all other traces of habitation are removed.” 

As Jack bundled the clothes up, he discreetly inspected one of the torn shirts and found a bullet hole in the back of it. That confirmed his suspicions. Ianto had returned to the bodies of the men he’d killed to collect dry clothing for Jack’s comfort. That couldn’t have been pleasant, but as Owen had told him quite forcefully, on more than one occasion, Ianto would do anything for Jack. He frowned as the awful truth of that observation began to sink in. It was as if the one thing that had kept Ianto going had been the need to look after Jack. He looked across to watch Ianto tucking guns and ammo into the bag propped open in front of him and sighed, wondering how long that had been the case. 

He then saw Ianto take some cloth and carefully wrap something in it before placing it into his pocket.

“What’s that, Ianto?”

Their eyes met and Jack could have sworn that he saw unshed tears glistening before Ianto rubbed his hand over his face.

“Nothing for you to worry about, Jack.” Ianto grimaced, wishing he’d said what was really on his mind: _Something I need to destroy, Jack. But I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do it._ Ianto would ask for Jack’s help as soon as they had reached safety.

Having ensured that all the weaponry had been stashed away in the bags they now carried slung over their shoulders and that there no immediate indications that the area had been recently occupied, they set off. 

“We need to head downstream, past another waterfall and then we should get to the place where the Hepste joins the Mellte.” Ianto explained as he scrambled down a steep bank. “Then we need to follow the Mellte upstream. Should get to a bridge over the river that leads onto the main road into Ystradfellte.”

“Sounds like a piece of cake, just keep following the river-”

“I hate it when you do that! Bloody hell, you’ve jinxed us now!”

Jack bit his lip, hoping that Ianto wasn’t right. He desperately wanted to get them both under cover as soon as possible. That would mean moving speedily, despite the weather, the terrain and Ianto’s injuries.

The one good thing about the snow was that it made every part of the landscape stand out in sharp contrast, allowing them to discern the presence of rocks and fallen tree trunks without too much stumbling. The last thing they needed was a broken ankle.

“It’s getting darker now, Jack. I think you’ve still got a torch in one of the pockets of that bloody coat.”

“I thought you loved my coat.” Jack pouted as he dug his hand into the left pocket. 

“I did until it tried to kill you.” Ianto turned to look disdainfully at the rips that he’d made tearing the coat free from the branches.

“I’m sure it didn’t do it on purpose.” 

Jack passed the torch to Ianto, while delving into an inside pocket to draw out a pencil shaped light that he switched on to illuminate the ground in front of his own feet.

They moved on, making better progress now they could see the trees either side of them. Ducking under a low branch, a pile of snow was deposited unceremoniously onto Jack’s head, but on reaching his shoulders it seemed to just slide off and onto the ground.

“Hmmm. Tell me, Jack, how come your coat dries out so fast?” Ianto reached out tentatively to touch the area that the snow should have soaked into. “It never used to be like that.” 

Jack smiled to himself and wondered if he should explain that the coat he was wearing was a replacement for the one taken from him on board the Valiant, when he’d been held prisoner by the Master. How could he tell Ianto that this particular coat had come from the wardrobe on board the TARDIS and was not a standard issue great coat?

“It is alien isn’t it?” 

The accusation made Jack grin, there was no fooling Ianto Jones. He turned around to face Ianto after vaulting athletically over the trunk of a fallen tree.

“I lost the other one when I went to find the Doctor. He gave me a replacement. Let me hold your torch while you get over -” 

“The Doctor?” Ianto blurted out, sounding more pissed off than he meant to. He rolled his eyes as Jack held out his hand to help him over the tree trunk. “I should have known. It’s never been the same. I just couldn’t put my finger on the reason why.”

“You’re not jealous are you?” Jack teased Ianto.

“No, not at all. But it does mean I can hate it now without feeling bad, because it’s not the coat I fell in love with.”

“So, it was the coat all this time. I thought as much.”

“Yep.” Ianto deadpanned, although he couldn’t resist winking as Jack handed the torch back to him. 

They eventually heard the loud rushing sounds of water that signalled the meeting of the two rivers. Taking care not to get too close to the banks, they turned right and began to follow the Mellte upstream. The path became narrow and far more treacherous, winding high above the river at one point, before plunging back down to the same level as the river at other places. There were steep uphill slogs, followed by descents into deep gorges. All the time, they kept their ears open for the sounds of water, always to their left and an ever present danger.

As they scooted close to the plunge pool of yet another waterfall, edging carefully around its icy perimeter, Jack looked at the water and then at Ianto.

“Ianto? When you dived in and rescued me, were you dressed or naked?”

“I needed dry clothes to put on when I got out of the water. So what do you think?”

“I’m thinking it’s a pity I didn’t come around sooner. I’m sorry I missed seeing that.”

“The water was very, very cold, Jack. You didn’t miss much.”

The sun had long since set and their surrounding were completely dark, but at least there was little wind and no further snow fall. However, it was cold enough that their breath came out in clouds of vapour as they panted with the effort of the last stretch of rocky terrain.

Ahead was a bridge over the river, beyond that the path should lead to the road according to Ianto, who had apparently memorised the maps of the area. As they made their way further along the rough path that accompanied the river upstream, they saw lights ahead. 

Flashing blue lights.


	38. Chapter 38

Jack held out his hand indicating that Ianto should stop. Turning their torches off, they melted into the shadows of the trees lining the path. They stood still, trying to listen to the police radio that crackled through the night air. 

They couldn’t make out what was being said, although a few words carried on the still air, especially when ‘Torchwood’ was mentioned, causing both men to prick up their ears. The trouble was that out of context they had no idea if that was a good thing or not. They had to move closer to find out what was going on. Jack began to creep forward, closely followed by Ianto.

As one policeman in a fluorescent yellow jacket finished his radio report, he turned off his transmitter and joined his colleague, who was leaning against the wall, rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. 

“What happened to the walkers that found the bodies then?”

“The National Park people took them back to their Youth Hostel.”

“Oh aye… you didn’t hear those old blokes back in the New Inn did you?”

“What? Huw and his cronies?”

“Yeah, they’ve heard about the bodies already. They reckon that they were victims of the dragon, that it burnt them to a crisp.”

“Figures, those old buggers are convinced there’s a bloody dragon living in the caves.”

“There’s got to be something in it – did you ever see that sheep?”

The voices faded as the two policemen wandered along the length of crime scene tape that was festooned along the wall that formed a barrier between the road and the footpath. Jack could see a stile over the wall, then across the road a car park, in which sat a police car, its lights flashing blue and a Land Rover. 

“Ianto?” Jack whispered urgently.

“What?”

“You didn’t use that weapon on those men did you?”

“No! What do you take me for, Jack?”

“Sorry. C’mon, time to introduce ourselves to the good constables.”

“After you.”

Jack cleared his throat noisily to announce his presence, not wanting to alarm the policemen too much. He climbed effortlessly over the stile, holding a hand out to assist Ianto.

“Right you two- stop there, exactly where you are!”

“Not going as planned,” whispered Jack.

“Drop the bags on the ground, hands up and face the wall, spread your legs and lean on the wall. No sudden movements and no talking.”

Ianto mouthed an expletive that only Jack could see, although he could sympathise. The last thing they needed was to be searched by local police apparently controlling the entry to a crime scene. Especially considering the fact that Ianto had the murder weapon in his possession.

“Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood. If you –”

“I don’t give a damn who you are, sir, you just walked down from a crime scene that was cleared a few hours ago.” He shoved Jack in the back to emphasise who was in charge. 

“Bloody hell!” The other policeman exclaimed as he opened Ianto’s bag to reveal a collection of assorted hand guns.

The officer then moved up to where Ianto was standing, pushed him roughly against the wall and then initiated a thorough search. Patting him down along each arm, he caused Ianto to hiss in pain as his injured arm was squeezed hard. Then working under his arms and down the jacket, the policeman got to his jacket pockets and patting one at a time, stopped when he detected the wrapped up object on the right hand side.

“Hello, what’s this then? What’ve you got in here? Is it another weapon? Or is it drugs?” 

Ianto was breathing heavily by now, they couldn’t go there, they couldn’t take that ... no … he could feel himself tensing up… sweat beading on his brow despite the chill in the air…

“Let’s find out then, empty your pockets – come on – now!” 

Jack was watching Ianto’s reactions and was certain that if he didn’t do something quickly, Ianto would snap and do something they would all regret.

Luckily the policeman guarding Jack wasn’t paying full attention and that was all that Jack needed, a moment was enough for him to pull out his Webley, which he grasped two-handed as he aimed directly at the policeman searching Ianto.

“Stop that, now. As I said earlier, we’re Torchwood, you know damn well that you have no right to impede us in the course of our investigations. Right now you’re breaching that agreement. Desist now and I shall not report your overenthusiastic devotion to duty to the appropriate authorities.”

“Are you threatening us?”

“Too damn right I am. Now, if you’d like to stand down, officer, I shall present my ID and then we’d appreciate your assistance.”

Jack kept his gun trained on the policeman, as he slid a hand into a pocket of his coat, pulling out and flipping open his wallet, clearly displaying his Torchwood ID. The grim look on his face coupled with the way he waved the gun about, obviously meaning business, convinced the two constables to back off and stand well clear of the two dishevelled looking men who looked decidedly desperate and dangerous.

“Now, I can either requisition your patrol car or you could provide us with a lift up the road to where we left our own vehicle. What’s it to be?”

“I’ll need to talk to my superiors, sir.” 

“Go on then.”

Jack half listened in to the terse conversation between the clearly pissed off policeman and his commanding officer. He lowered his gun, but did not return it to his holster, not willing to take any chances until he was back on his own territory. He watched Ianto who had eventually pushed away from the wall, before stooping to gather the bags up from the ground. Ianto had not said a word, which was worrying, but of more concern was the fact that the first thing he’d done had been to put his hand into that pocket as if to reassure himself that the contents were safe. Jack had worked out what he had in there and wasn’t sure how he was going to tackle Ianto about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before they were dropped off in the pub car park, with a few curt words of apology and a glare from the police officer who’d finally introduced himself as PC Jones, to Jack’s wry amusement. As the patrol car did a three-point turn and their reluctant driver headed back to his stranded colleague, Jack wasted no time in heading for the SUV.

There was a thick layer of frozen snow on the roof and Jack had to brush more snow away from the door handle, before he could open it up. 

“Straight back to Cardiff or shall we get warmed up and have something to eat here first?” Jack tried not to influence Ianto too much, although he really hoped he’d agree to resting a while at the pub. 

“Food sounds an excellent idea, Jack. Yeah, I think we could do with a break.” Ianto hadn’t wanted to let on to Jack just how hungry he was, but he was actually beginning to feel slightly faint. 

“Good, I was hoping you’d say that. First off I’ll get in touch with the team – update them.”

Ianto walked around to the back of the SUV, stashed the two bags under the seats and then retrieved the first aid kit. He was ready to admit to Jack that his arm was hurting like hell, hopefully Jack would manage to dress it for him properly and with any luck the kit would contain some of Owen’s extra powerful painkillers, they should take the edge off the throbbing ache that had been getting progressively worse. 

By the time Ianto had pulled out the spare laptop and other kit that was stored in the secure storage bin under the rear seat, he was joined by Jack who gave him a much needed hand.

“OK, seems that while we’ve been missing in action the team have been busy. Tosh didn’t want to go into too much detail over the comms, but she did say that Gwen and Owen were in the area, liaising with the local police over the double murder.”

“Oh fuck-” Ianto sighed. 

“Yeah – luckily they got onto it fast and are shutting that down. Gwen and Owen have been out searching with local National Park rangers for us, so Tosh will get in touch and get them to meet us back here. Which means we’re in no immediate hurry.” Jack reached out to hold Ianto’s shoulders as he emphasised the final point.

“Good. Do you think our room is still available?”

“It will be. I’ll make sure of that.”


	39. Chapter 39

It took a while, but Jack eventually persuaded the landlord to let them have the larger double room, the one with a proper en suite bathroom including a bath tub. However, he did have to promise that no furniture would be destroyed and even offered to put down a security deposit as a gesture of good faith, willingly leaving a credit card behind the bar as a guarantee. 

Jack’s priority was looking after Ianto. The bright lights of the pub interior had allowed him to see for the first time, since he’d revived, just how exhausted Ianto was. Jack was lucky to have barely a scratch on him, all traces of wounds having long since disappeared. Although his clothes looked pretty scruffy, he knew that to any onlooker there would be no sign whatsoever of what he had been through over the past few days. On the other hand, Ianto’s face was a portrait of weariness and pain, from the scratches across one cheek to the stubble on his jaw, he really did look as if he had been through hell and back. But the real giveaway was the look in his eyes, the haunted expression was back, although it occurred to Jack that it probably had been there all along, hiding under cover of darkness on the overgrown pathways. 

Taking the keys to the room, Jack turned away from the bar and headed for the table where Ianto was sitting, lost in his own thoughts once more. 

“Hey there, I got us a room with a bathtub. Why don’t you go up and run yourself a bath and get warmed up?” Jack rested a hand on Ianto’s shoulder. “I’ll be up as soon as I get some food for us.”

It vaguely crossed Ianto’s mind that Jack was taking command and then he realised that it was his way of coping. Not only that, it was his job to give orders, and that made it easier for Ianto to acquiesce without appearing weak.

“Sounds like an offer I can’t resist, sir.” He smiled softly and took the key that Jack was holding out, making a note of the room number. 

Once he’d seen Ianto disappear from sight as he walked slowly towards the stairway behind the bar, Jack turned to see the landlady scrutinising him carefully. He responded in the only way he knew, he flashed her one of his most dazzling of grins, while introducing himself as Captain Jack Harkness, only to realise she was singularly unimpressed.

“Don’t bother smiling at me, I’ve seen it all before, lovely. These days it takes more than a set of gleaming white teeth to blind me, Captain. What’s going on then? Have you got anything to do with those bodies they found up in the Hepste Valley?”

The smile on Jack’s face made a bashful exit to be replaced by a far grimmer expression. He wondered what the reaction of this grey haired old lady would be if she knew that Ianto had been responsible for those deaths.

“Sorry, force of habit. I can’t tell you exactly what’s going on. But we’re involved in an investigation that does concern those deaths. Two more of my colleagues will be coming here later. They were here before. Gwen and Owen.”

“Ah yes, the pretty Swansea lass with a healthy appetite, could knock back pints with the best of them, she could. Owen? Was he that miserable Englishman? Wouldn’t touch a bite of food from my kitchen. Seemed to live off Smirnoff fumes from my recollection.”

Jack grinned at the descriptions that did match what the landlady would have seen of his team a few days ago. It was going to be tough persuading her that they were also highly trained professionals. 

“Ah yes, I guess you didn’t see them at their best.”

“What about him? The lad. Is he hurt again?” 

“His arm got injured. I need to see to that, but mostly he’s just very cold and very hungry.”

“Why the bloody hell didn’t you say that to start with?” The landlady sighed with frustration. “I’ll get some cawl heated through for you both and a few slices of buttered bara brith. That suit?”

“Cowl?” repeated Jack, not entirely convinced that it sounded particularly appetising.

“Cawl. Welsh hot pot – stew with lamb and root vegetables. That lad looked like he could use something substantial. You do know what bara brith is I take it?”

“Yes ma’am,” replied Jack, suitably chastised. “Like a fruit loaf, yes?”

“Good, you’re not entirely ignorant then. Why don’t you go on up and look after him then and I’ll bring the food up shortly?”

“That would be wonderful, thank you –”

“Winifred. You can call me Winnie. The husband is Arthur. Go on then, go see how he’s doing. You can’t fool me that you’re not worried about him either, so don’t bother trying.”

“Thanks, Winnnie.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Jack walked into the room, he was relieved to see that it was a good deal bigger than the first room they had stayed in. He could hear sounds of running water from the bathroom and he tapped gently on the door, waiting to be invited in.

“Jack?”

“I thought you’d be up to your neck in hot suds by now?” Jack frowned as he opened the door to the bathroom and saw Ianto sat on the edge of the bathtub. “Problem?”

As soon as Jack asked, he realised that there was indeed a very obvious problem as Ianto held out his arm. He had managed to get mostly undressed, but the dressing on his arm was stuck to his clothing with dried blood. Ianto couldn’t remove it without tearing open the wound beneath.

“Oh dear,” Jack winced as he saw the problem confronting Ianto. “You know this isn’t going to be painless? You ready for this?”

Ianto bit his lip and nodded. He was determined not to alarm or scandalise any of the locals downstairs by screaming out.

Jack firmly tugged the woollen sweater free with one hand whilst holding the torn shreds of shirt with his other hand. Then he went to work on the dressing itself. He held Ianto’s arm in the wash basin and turned the mixer tap on to provide a steady stream of warm water. Gradually the fabric loosened and he was able to peel the layers away from the injured skin. Eventually he had completely removed the strips of shirt and bundled them up to dispose of more hygienically later. 

“Damn, Ianto, this must hurt like hell.” Jack couldn’t hide a look of horror as he carefully examined the blistered and burnt tissue. “I really hope Owen brings the skin regenerator with him. It’s best if we leave it open for now, that’s if you can bear it?”

Looking up from the damage inflicted to the arm, Jack saw that Ianto had bitten his lip hard enough to make it bleed and that there were tears in his eyes. He could also see that Ianto was shivering.

“You need to be in that bath. Now. I’ll help you get in and out. Think you can manage to keep your arm out of the water?”

“Yep, I can do that.”

Once Jack had helped Ianto finish undressing and got him into the bath, he bustled about the bathroom sorting out towels and toiletries. 

“Call if you need anything else, OK?”

Although Jack wanted to stay with Ianto, he knew that he needed to be left alone for at least a few minutes so that he could actually be in pain and not feel the need to hide its severity from Jack. Closing the door gently behind him, Jack could hear the muttered cursing and hissing that let him know he’d done the right thing. 

Jack had gathered up the clothing from the bathroom floor and had tossed it in one corner of their room. He’d fetched in a bag of clean, dry clothes from the SUV when they’d got back to the pub and figured that he could probably ditch the clothes they’d worn to the caves. 

Then he spotted Ianto’s waterproof jacket draped over the back of a chair. He didn’t need to think twice before checking the contents of the right pocket for himself. Jack scowled. His suspicions had been correct and his concerns were heightened, especially as it confirmed that Ianto had been lying to him. 

A loud knocking at the door pulled Jack out of his brooding. He could smell the food before he’d even opened the door. 

“Thank you, Winnie. You’re an angel.” Jack took hold of the heavy tray and placed it on the small side table.

“There’s a pot of tea there as well. I’d suggest letting it brew another few minutes and then serve it good and sweet. Mark my words, you’ll have me to answer to if he’s not looking better by morning.”

Jack smiled back and reassured Winnie that he would do everything he could to make Ianto feel better again. He wondered why it was that women of all ages seemed fixated on Ianto’s welfare, almost to the point of fierceness. Not only that, but they almost always seemed to hold Jack personally responsible for any harm done to him. If only they knew. 

“Hey there, food’s ready. Are you going to eat in the bathtub or do you want me to help you out so you can eat in here on the bed?” Jack shouted through the bathroom door and then listened carefully for a reply, although all he could make out was ‘OK’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time Jack had got Ianto out of the bath and wrapped in towels, Owen and Gwen had arrived and despite wanting time on his own with Ianto, he reluctantly let them in. Ianto was sitting bundled up in a towel on the bed, an empty plate beside him and a mug of sweet tea cradled in his hands.

“What the fuck have you done to your arm?”

“Hello, Owen, good to see you too.”

“Yeah, whatever. Put that tea down so I can see the damage properly.”

Gwen had rushed up to Jack and enveloped him in a crushing hug, so he was sidelined and could only watch on as Owen got straight to business. 

“Oh, Jack. I am so glad to see you. We were worried sick.” Gwen was genuinely relieved to see that he was standing there in the flesh, unharmed. She knew he couldn’t die, but that didn’t stop her fretting.

“Jack, do me a favour and take Gwen down to the bar. Get her to tell you what’s been going on. I need to get some honest answers out of Ianto about his injuries.”

Ianto rolled his eyes, only too aware that Owen knew he would water down the actual truth of how much pain he was in, rather than see Jack’s reaction. 

“Ianto? Are you hurt, love?” Gwen realised, guiltily, that she’d overlooked Ianto once more and could now see the lurid red scars on his arm.

“No, Gwen, it’s nothing. Really. You go down to the bar with Jack. I’ll be fine.” 

Gwen looked uncertain and Jack raised his eyebrows as he caught the underlying current of sadness in Ianto’s words. He would get time with him on his own later, not only was there a long overdue conversation to be had, he was also becoming aware of a need to comfort and be comforted. 

“Owen, do what you need to. We’ll be back in half an hour.”

As the door closed behind Gwen and Jack, the two men remaining in the room let out simultaneous sighs of relief. 

“You, too?” Ianto asked with some surprise.

“Me, too. She’s been nigh on unbearable. Now, tell me about this injury. What sort of weapon did this?”

“Energy discharge – mostly heat I think.”

“I’ll check for radiation damage as well, but it looks as if it’s just a severe case of burning. Luckily I have the tissue regenerator with me this time, otherwise you’d be needing a skin graft for this.”

Owen got to work, spraying the wounded arm with antiseptic, before slowly passing the modified alien device over the skin a millimetre at a time. As he worked on the arm he asked Ianto about his other injuries. The stitches in the knife wound had mostly held, enough to hold the edges together and it was healing. Owen got Ianto to turn his head so that he could inspect the damage done to his ear both by Morgan’s teeth and the removal of the comm. unit. He muttered something about scar tissue, but seemed reasonably pleased that there was little infection evident. The scratches on his face were shallow scrapes and he’d managed to wash the last traces of dirt from them in the bath, so they weren’t an issue.

By the time Jack and Gwen returned from the bar, Ianto was in the bathroom getting dressed and Owen was tucking equipment back into his medical bag.

“How’s he doing, Owen?” asked Jack pointing in the direction of the bathroom door.

“Better than expected. That arm’s going to need to kept clean and dry for a few days, until the new skin has completely differentiated and stratified correctly. There was some muscle damage as well that will take longer to heal. Otherwise he seems to have come through that pretty much OK – physically that is.”

“Good. Gwen’s filled me in with what you guys have been up to for the last couple of days. I’m glad you’ve been able to convince the local police that there isn’t a serial killer on the loose. Thanks for that.”

“Yeah. Just one thing, Jack. Next time you decide to go Terminator on the bad guys, do a better fucking job of getting rid of the bodies will you?”

“What are you on about, Owen?” Jack was confused. “Terminator?” 

“You know what I bloody mean – shooting them in the back first and then at close range in the head. Shit, you’re a ruthless fucking bastard. Remind me never to get on your bad side.” 

They hadn’t noticed Ianto standing in the bathroom doorway, not until they saw him move across the room without looking any of them in the face. 

“Ianto!” Jack leapt up, but was too late to stop Ianto leaving the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

“What the fuck’s wrong with him now?” asked Owen, dumbfounded.

“It wasn’t me who shot them, Owen,” Jack snapped as he grabbed his coat and ran from the room in pursuit of Ianto.

“Bloody hell,” was all Gwen could say, her mouth open in shock.

“Scrap what I fucking said about teaboy being better than expected, he’s nowhere near OK.”


	40. Chapter 40

Jack dashed through the bar, heading for the exit, when a calm voice called out to him:

“No need to go rushing anywhere, Captain. He’s in the booth, the one by the fire.”

Winnie was standing behind the bar, one hand on a hip, the other pointing towards the booth that Jack had shared earlier with Gwen. The pub was still pretty much deserted, the cold weather having kept most the locals in their own homes. The log fire was giving out plenty of heat, but the leather bench seats facing the crackling log fire were empty, except for one lonely figure, nursing a large glass of whisky.

Jack sighed and made his way over to the secluded booth. He hesitated, not knowing whether to sit opposite Ianto or next to him, but decided that if he sat next to him he could at least stop him leaving in a hurry. 

“Can I join you?” Jack asked, even though he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

“Be my guest.” Ianto took a sip from his drink before turning to face Jack.

“What’s going on?” Jack demanded.

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“That’s the second time, at least, that you’ve lied to me today.”

Ianto looked away, as if considering what to say in reply. He knew that he had not been entirely honest with Jack and that was the one thing that could always come between them. The trouble was that the turmoil in his head meant he didn’t know where to start, but the image that blazed strongest in his mind at that moment was that of Jack’s face. He had let him down. Again.

“When I came out of the bathroom, I heard Owen describe how those men had been killed. I saw your face… you were appalled that he thought you could do something that cold.” 

Ianto spoke quietly and Jack had to concentrate hard on what he was saying.

“I didn’t know the details until then,” Jack replied in an equally quiet voice. “You didn’t tell me. So, if they were shot in the back, that suggests they must have been walking away from you at the time. That doesn’t sound like something you’d do. Why did you shoot them in the back?” 

“Because you trained me!” came Ianto’s furious response. He slammed his glass down, missing the beer mat and causing whisky to splash onto the worn oak table top. “To quote you – ‘never leave a dangerous enemy wounded if you have the opportunity to kill them.’ Remember that?”

The accompanying glare reiterated the fact that this was anger coming out now, not guilt. 

“The fact that they’d already shot both of us gave me reason to classify them as dangerous. For God’s sake they killed you! So, what is it? Have I disappointed you?” Ianto paused briefly to take another drink of whisky, the burning sensation at the back of his throat enhancing the bitterness that he felt already inside him. “Did I break some special code that says you don’t shoot enemies in the back? Did I do the wrong thing?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Then why are you looking at me as if you don’t approve of what I did?”

“Because you’re not being totally honest with me, are you?” Jack sat back in his seat and gave Ianto a sidelong glare. “The power cell. I saw the way you were about to lose it when that policeman was about to frisk you. Did they take it from you? After I was shot. Did you go after them to get it back?”

“What if I did? You know damn well that we can’t allow those bastards to get their hands on it again. It’s too dangerous.”

“Agreed. But that wasn’t your main reason for wanting it back. Was it?”

“Does it matter?” Ianto replied angrily. “OK, they took it from me, when they thought they’d killed me. Bastards left me for dead. There’s no way I could’ve let them get away with taking it. I had no choice. There was only one way to stop them.”

Jack sat back heavily and glanced towards the bar, only to see Winnie shaking her head at him. The expression on her face said ‘mend it’ in no uncertain terms. No doubt she thought the urgently whispered argument was some sort of lovers’ tiff. He sighed as he considered that it could be described as that. 

“Ianto we need to talk about that power cell.”

“Why, what have you done with it?” Ianto seemed unsettled and looked ready to jump out of his seat. He’d only just realised that in his rush to get away from the others that he’d left it in the room, unguarded. 

“Sit down.” 

Jack gently pushed Ianto back into his seat and turned to face him, putting an arm about his shoulders in readiness for his reaction.

“I need you to listen to me carefully. The memories held in that thing are not Lisa’s memories. They are the memories from the point of conversion. They represent the data bank of the machine that took over her dead body. Do you understand?”

Jack watched carefully as Ianto closed his eyes as if trying to keep the truth at bay. There was an almost imperceptible shudder as the tension finally drained from his body. He slumped back into his seat as if defeated, only to find Jack's arm pulling him closer to offer comfort. 

“I know,” admitted Ianto. “It’s just that accepting that means I’ve got to believe the woman I cared for, talked to, gave everything up for … that she wasn’t there. It means admitting I was taken in. My blind stupidity almost destroyed the Hub and all of you. That’s something I feel guilty about – that and the fact that as a consequence of my misguided devotion to Lisa, those deranged bastards could have –”

“You stopped them, Ianto. You did good.” 

They sat in silence, contemplating what had happened in the past and what had been narrowly averted. From the bar, Winnie smiled at them as she saw that they were now sitting much closer together. 

“It has to be destroyed,” Jack breathed the words softly, but with determination.

“I know. I’m not sure that I can do it though. I was hoping that you could look after that.”

“Of course, it’s something I should have taken care of a while ago.” Jack knew that a portion of the blame, if there was any to be had, lay squarely on his shoulders. He owed it to Ianto to make it right; he’d been through more than enough already. “You OK? I’ve been worried about you.”

“I don’t regret my actions out there, Jack and I am not consumed by guilt if that’s what you’re thinking. If I’d tried to take them out while they were right in front of me, I wouldn’t have stood a chance. I don’t have a death wish, you know.”

“Thank God for that.” Jack was relieved, because that was the first indication he’d had for a while that Ianto’s self-preservation instincts were still functioning. 

“To be honest with you, I’m also really pissed off that Owen and Gwen looked so sickened and the fact they all assumed it was you. They must all think that I’m so bloody pathetic, getting injured all the fucking time and that you have to come to my rescue, shooting your way through hoards of …. Orcs, or whatever.” 

Ianto shook his head and downed the rest of his drink, not caring about how light headed it was making him.

“Orcs?” Jack frowned, looking thoroughly confused. 

“Owen called me Frodo. Which makes you Aragorn, wielding your mighty sword-” Ianto paused to nudge Jack in the ribs with his elbow. “Oi, stop smirking! Actually in your case, it would be your trusty Webley.”

“I’ll put them right on that. I’ll make sure they know that you were my hero this time. That you came to my rescue.” Jack pointed at the empty glass Ianto had pushed away. “Can I get you another?”

“Are you trying to get me drunk?”

“You’re doing a pretty good job of that on your own. Or are you suggesting that I might need to get you drunk to get you into my bed tonight?”

Ianto laughed and then passed the glass to Jack.

“If you’re buying, make it the Laphroaig. Make it a double.”

“You didn’t answer my other question.”

“I’ll sleep with you on one condition. You get Owen and Gwen out of our room first.”

“Stay right here. Don’t move.”

Jack dashed to the bar to order two large malt whiskies on the room tab. He told Winnie that he needed to sort something out upstairs and she shooed him away, saying that she’d take the drinks over to the table for him. 

He then ran up the stairs to clear the room. Gwen and Owen were more or less as he’d left them, sitting on the two small chairs. However, they were apparently in the seething aftermath of a row, if the scowling expressions were anything to go by. Great. 

“OK, you two need to get out and find your own rooms for the night. I need time with Ianto-”

“For fuck’s sake, Jack, can’t you keep it in your trousers for -”

“Shut up, Owen! We’ve had a pretty crappy couple of days. After being captured - so you guys could get away - we escaped. Then we got shot and left for dead by the two men that Ianto ended up having to kill to ensure our safety. Ianto then spent last night outdoors in a damn blizzard, while I passed the time trapped underwater at the bottom of a waterfall. Dead. This morning, Ianto rescued me by diving into an icy pool, probably risking his life in the process! It then took me hours to come back to life, which scared the shit out of Ianto. Then we hiked miles across the bloody frozen wastes out there. In the dark. Only to end up being frisked by the local constabulary. If that doesn’t entitle the two of us to some down time, alone, I don’t know what the hell does!” 

As he related the abridged version of events that the two of them had survived in the past two days, Jack’s voice had got louder and more emphatic. When he stopped, out of breath and flushed with anger, he was met by stunned, open-mouthed silence from Gwen and Owen.

“Right you are, time we found somewhere else to loiter. Coming, Gwen? Gwen!”

“Yes, Owen. Of course. I’m so sorry, Jack, I hadn’t realised. I just thought… well I don’t know what I was thinking…” Her hands were flapping about as if trying to apologise on her behalf.

Owen took Gwen by the arm and steered her out of the room before Jack exploded. 

From his seat by the fire, Ianto saw his team mates tumble into the bar. Owen gave him an apologetic look, which was unnerving to say the least and Gwen looked guilt stricken. Jack followed, but didn’t join them, he just looked across at Ianto longingly. Ianto got the hint and shuffled out of the seat before picking up the two glasses of whisky.

“What the hell did you say to them?” Ianto asked Jack as he held out one of the glasses of whisky for him to take.

“Nothing much. Just a brief account of how much fun we’ve been having without them.”

“So, we’ve got the room to ourselves now?”

“Yeah, let’s take these up with us.” Jack reached out a hand, extremely grateful that Ianto took it with no hesitation.


	41. Chapter 41

Shutting the door firmly behind them, Jack made sure it was locked. To hell with whatever lay beyond the walls of their room, the next few hours belonged to the two of them. Without preamble he took both whisky glasses and put them down on the tray next to the remnants of their meal, before pulling Ianto on top of him and onto the bed, capturing his mouth in a heartfelt kiss, deep and full of passion. Running his hands through Ianto’s hair, their mouths moulded together, lips and tongues fusing their bodies, their kisses warm and whisky flavoured.

Breaking for breath, Ianto shivered, realising that in his haste to get away from the awkward atmosphere earlier, he’d dashed off wearing not much more than a shirt and jeans. 

“Still cold?”

“Is that an offer to warm me up?”

“Oh yeah...”

“Then, yes. I’m still cold.” 

“Come here then …”

Jack rolled them over so that Ianto’s body was trapped between him and the bed. It then struck him that the events of the past few days hadn’t begun to sink in, not until he’d unloaded his feelings on Owen and Gwen. Having said it all out loud, he was aware just how close, yet again, he had come to losing Ianto. What Jack needed, more than anything at that moment, was to reassure himself that Ianto was still alive, still whole, after all he’d been through.

“I could have lost you out there. You took risks for me … you saved me. Did I even thank you properly?” 

“Doesn’t matter. I just did what had to be done.” Ianto slipped his hands inside Jack’s coat, rummaging for a touch of skin, wanting to luxuriate in the warmth from Jack’s body. 

“You’d sacrifice everything for me – wouldn’t you?” Jack rested his forehead on Ianto’s as he voiced one of his greatest fears.

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It might be – I couldn’t live with myself if I let you do that.”

“That’s not your decision to make – and if it came to it, you wouldn’t be able to stop me.” Ianto leaned up to kiss Jack chastely on the lips as if sealing a promise.

“What the hell did I do to deserve you?”

“I don’t know – but if you need some ideas-”

“Never. I’m very resourceful you know-”

“You could lose the coat for a start.”

Jack quickly rolled off the bed and hung his coat on the back of the door. As he turned, with a grin on his face, he saw that Ianto was yawning and looked as though he could barely keep his eyes open. Jack dropped to his knees next to the bed and tenderly stroked the other man’s head.

“You look exhausted.” 

“It’s just the whisky … and the drugs … drowsy, that’s all.”

“Shit, did Owen give you painkillers earlier?” Jack looked concerned and picked up the glass from the tray to see how much of it had been drunk. 

“Only two. The blue ones. Not codeine … I’ll be fine.” 

“Tell you what, why don’t you get under the covers and warm up. I’ll grab a quick shower and then join you.”

“OK – that sounds like a good plan…” Ianto kicked off his shoes and crawled under the quilt. 

With an indulgent smile, Jack watched as Ianto curled up under the bedcovers, his head sinking into the pillows. The fact that he was still dressed showed just how tired he was. Wondering if Ianto would still be awake by the time he got out of the shower, Jack shed his clothing with haste and dashed into the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rubbing himself down briskly with a towel, Jack was pleased to find a drowsy Ianto still under the blankets, waiting for him. He could feel his lover’s eyes appraising his body as he flung the damp towels back into the bathroom. Jack smiled with affection as he drank in the sight of the half open eyes, lashes brushing slightly flushed cheeks, lips curved upwards in a sleepy smile. 

“Sleepy? Or sozzled?” Jack glanced at the empty whisky glass by the bed.

“Bit of both … relaxed. You coming to bed or not?”

Jack slid under the bedcovers behind Ianto, delighted to find that he had got undressed whilst he’d been showering.

“You’re nice and warm now, that’s good.” Jack snuggled up, wrapping an arm around Ianto’s waist and pulling him closer. 

“I’ve missed this,” Ianto mumbled, feeling Jack pressing into his hip.

“Me, too.”

Ianto turned in Jack’s arms and began to kiss him, gently teasing his lips with the tip of his tongue before deepening the kiss. 

Jack entwined their legs, curling around Ianto, holding him close. His hands wandered all over Ianto’s lean body, stroking, caressing, renewing memories and discovering the locations of new injuries, whilst checking out how the old ones were faring.

“Let me know if I hurt you …”

“Keep doing what you’re doing and I won’t feel a thing. As long as you’re here I don’t think anything can hurt me, not really…” 

Their love making was leisurely. Jack insisted on taking it slow, not wanting to hurt Ianto. Their kisses were deep and broken only to allow them to take breath. They tasted of the Laphroaig malt, a complex mixture of smoke and peat making their mouths warmer and more inviting. 

They took comfort in the warmth of one another’s bodies, cosseted in a shelter of heat that transcended the purely physical, encompassing a deeper warmth, one that came when they opened up not only their bodies, but their hearts to one another. 

Words were dispensed with, each knowing that words couldn’t be trusted, they were cheap and easily tarnished. Lips and tongues that met in passionate kisses told the truth, speaking of an intimacy beyond lust. Their hands were also more honest, demonstrating need and desire as they sought to feel every square inch of each other’s skin. Lust was carnal and basic, lust involved fucking. They did far more that. 

Jack had been through so many sexual partners that he knew the difference and it was the connection he had with Ianto that made it so much better. He’d had more exotic sex, more risqué, rougher, kinkier, but that was just sex. The moment he ran his hands through Ianto’s hair and teased open his lips with his tongue, the moment his mouth opened, inviting him in, that was when it changed. 

They moved as one these days, each anticipating what the other wanted and needed, each more than willing to give or receive. It was never one way, it was always about sharing… an exhilaration that ignited somewhere deep inside and then sped outwards along nerve pathways, overwhelming pain, doubt and fear. 

From the initial delicate caresses of fingertips, which paused to lavish attention on each and every erogenous zone, that left them shivering in anticipation as hips rolled gently against one another, to the point where those fingers were gripping fiercely onto hips as the eventual forceful thrusts led to intense orgasms that left them shaking and trembling, every touch was imbued with emotions that they could only allow to be expressed as they lay together, naked and entwined. 

If love could be described as that feeling that can vanquish every single negative, harmful, destructive emotion and replace them with warmth and an indescribable sense of belonging, then that’s what they felt for one another. It didn’t matter that they didn’t put it into words.

As the waves of pleasure subsided, Jack loosened his hold on Ianto, but refused to relinquish it completely. He intended to keep his arms about his lover for the entire night, just to make sure no one and nothing could take him away. He had a bad feeling at the back of his mind, something that had been said or done that evaded his memory for now, but warning him that Ianto was still not safe. It occurred to him that all he could ever do was treat every night they shared as their last, because it just might be, and for some unaccountable reason that thought caused him to shudder involuntarily. 

“You OK?” mumbled Ianto as he slowly ran his hands over Jack’s shoulders as if to quell the shaking.

“Yeah, I’m always OK. But you need sleep.” Jack kissed the top of Ianto’s head, sensing the younger man’s breathing becoming slower.

“You too – do you think you will?”

“I think I might… although I really should keep an eye on a certain young idiot who’s dosed up to his eyeballs on single malt and strong painkillers, not to mention the effects of post-orgasmic bliss … I’m surprised you’re still conscious at all…”

“Post-orgasmic bliss? God, you rate yourself don’t you?” Ianto chuckled gently into Jack’s chest.

“I thought I was going to have to stuff a sheet in your mouth to shut you up. Winnie probably thinks I’ve been torturing you up here.”

“Wasn’t that noisy…”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Mmm... not…” snuffling into the pillow, Ianto’s denials were barely audible.

Ianto drifted off to sleep, sated, warm and surrounded by Jack’s arms and legs, his entire body relaxed and sedated. Jack stroked his hair tenderly, kissed him once more and wished that this whole business was over and that he could afford the luxury of sleep.

“Sleep well. I need you well. I... I need you, you know that don’t you?” Jack whispered softly.

There was no reply but he was sure that the corners of Ianto’s lips twitched up in a smile.


	42. Chapter 42

Jack lay silently, watching his lover sleep in the darkened room. Despite the tiredness that was gnawing away at him, he had barely dozed off for more than half an hour at a time. It was as if he felt compelled to keep vigil. 

He found himself listening to every breath Ianto took, each mumbled, semi-coherent scrap of dream that leaked from his subconscious. Jack could have sworn he heard his own name, which made him smile, although the stifled sob that accompanied the murmured ‘Lisa’ worried him. It made him wonder what was going on in Ianto’s mind, beyond what he had already confessed. 

Jack traced circles with his fingertips along Ianto’s arms that were loosely draped about his waist and thought of all the horrific memories this whole wretched business had dragged up for Ianto. Jack rarely considered how Ianto coped with being one of the few to survive the deflagration that consumed the Tower at Canary Wharf, a shameful admission and one that made him feel profoundly saddened. Maybe he could do something to make up for that. But he hadn’t the faintest idea what could possibly compensate for that level of neglect. 

The sounds of hammering at the door shattered the peaceful sanctuary as if it was made of glass. Then came Gwen’s voice – urgently shouting.

“Jack! Jack! Wake up! It’s Tosh – she says it’s really important.”

In his arms, Ianto groaned in his sleep and woke up abruptly, his head spinning as he tried to get up too fast. Jack guided him gently back onto the pillows and pressed a hand firmly against his chest. 

“Hush – stay where you are.”

Jack switched on the bed side lamp which lit the room with a golden glow, one that caught his bare backside in all its glory as he strode towards the door.

“Jack! Clothes?” Although Ianto was enjoying the view he wasn’t prepared to share it with Gwen.

“Give me a minute, Gwen!” Jack yelled out as he pulled on his crumpled trousers and a discarded tee shirt. Although he was sorely tempted to open the door wearing nothing, it was cold away from the comfort of the bed and Ianto’s body.

Gwen fell into the room as soon as Jack opened the door, grasping her phone in one hand.

“What the hell is wrong? And what time is it?”

“Six thirty-ish. It’s Tosh-”

“What’s happened?” demanded Jack.

“Is she OK?” Ianto sat up, concerned.

“She’s alright. But she needs to talk to you Jack, she says it’s urgent.”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, she just said that she got into the Hub early and there was a message waiting for you. She won’t tell me anything else. For your ears only apparently.” It was clear that Gwen was put out that Tosh had not divulged the nature of the emergency to her.

“OK, I’ll have to use your phone, I’ve lost mine.” Jack took the phone from Gwen and sat back down on the bed, preparing to make the phone call. “Thanks, Gwen – which room are you in?”

“Number 5 –” Gwen looked puzzled and gestured at the phone. “But I thought I could wait here, find out what’s going on…”

“No, Gwen. I’ll speak with Tosh first and then discuss it with the rest of you.”

“What about Ianto?” Gwen pointed at the bed accusingly. 

“Gwen, please don’t make me spell it out to you. Or do you really think I’m going to throw Ianto out of bed?” Jack raised his eyebrows to indicate what a ridiculous notion that would be. 

“So it’s OK if he hears what you have to discuss with Tosh, but not me.”

“In a word, yes. Thanks, Gwen.” Jack nodded in the direction of the door. 

That was all it took for her to glare at both of them, huff loudly and then leave the room without another word, although she did slam the door on her way out.

“What is her problem?” Jack shook his head. If Tosh insisted on talking to him first, she would have done that for a reason, not on a whim. This was obviously a sensitive issue, but his trust in Ianto was implicit.

“You can’t see it, can you? She thinks you owe it to her. As far as she’s concerned she’s your second and you should keep her informed at all times. Do you want me to go-?” 

“Don’t you even dare think about it. You stay just where you are! I’m calling Tosh.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the Hub, Tosh had been waiting anxiously to hear from Jack. Despite Gwen’s insistence that she tell her everything and that she would relay it to Jack, Tosh knew that she had to speak to him directly. She had come in early to start running the next level of checks on the short list of potential moles within UNIT when she had found the email for him. Although it was addressed to Jack, it had come through the general Torchwood account so she was able to open it without resorting to using his password, even though she’d figured it out a while ago. 

The ring tone on her phone startled her momentarily and then she grabbed it quickly, relieved to hear Jack’s voice at the other end, even though the caller id was Gwen’s. After finding out that both Jack and Ianto’s comms were back in the caves, where their conversations could be intercepted, they had all agreed to communicate via their personal mobile phones. She put it on speakerphone so that she could access the relevant emails whilst talking to Jack. 

“Jack? Thank God. There’s been an email from UNIT. I’ve heard back from them at last.”

“Did Martha come through for us?”

“Yes, you were right, Martha did recommend someone, Colonel Mace. She told Owen that although he’s old style military, he’s honest. It seems that he owes Martha a favour or two after the whole Sontaran trouble and was willing to look at our proof of illegally held alien weaponry.”

“You didn’t send the details through to anyone else?”

“No, I didn’t want to risk it until we found someone we could trust… I’ll tell you more about that when I see you. Anyway, the email attachment states that Colonel Mace is prepared to send a Captain Marian Price, his senior technical officer to assist.”

“I’ve heard of her – she’s good. Wasn’t she in charge of the attack on the ATMOS factory?”

“Yes, that’s right, she knows her weapons, that’s for certain. The instructions state that she will mobilise a small contingent of Royal Engineers who will search the caves and secure any dangerous armaments. They could be with you by mid morning at a prearranged location, once she receives your confirmation of their requests.”

“That’s brilliant news, Tosh, well done! Thank God for that, I really thought-”

“But that’s not all –” Tosh paused, as if summoning the courage to break bad news to Jack. “Their offer of assistance is conditional.” 

“Conditional? On what? They’ve seen the evidence for themselves. Gwen said you had a list of serial numbers and the pictures of the crates.” Jack was confused, what conditions could UNIT possibly want to impose now. “What else do they want?”

“Ianto.” 

Tosh’s reply made Jack’s blood freeze. 

“They’ve issued a warrant for his arrest.” 

“What the hell for?” Jack reached out and took Ianto’s hand without thinking.

“Treason – they said they’ve received incontrovertible proof of his guilt, from a valued source. Basically the bottom line is that unless you hand Ianto over to them, to be transferred immediately to a UNIT detention facility, they will refute your authority. Your non-cooperation will be interpreted as the intention to harbour a traitor to the Crown.” 

“They can go to hell!” Jack growled.

“If you refuse to co-operate they also intend to have you removed as director of Torchwood.”

“No! I don’t believe this!”

“Oh God, Jack, you can’t let those people take Ianto, you can’t let them lock him up. I know what their prisons are like, you know that. It would kill him, especially now.”

“I know, Tosh, trust me, I know. Get hold of Price’s contact number and send it to the SUV computer. I’ll be in touch soon.”

“Yes, Jack. I’ll do that.” Tosh hung up before she burst into tears. She knew, in her heart, that Jack had no choice; an ultimatum had been set that gave him no space to negotiate.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once Ianto had managed to calm Jack down, which took time, he heard the whole story. They’d been offered what they needed, UNIT’s assistance, but it came at a price. He knew that Jack would fight him over this, but it was as if the opportunity to make everything right was being handed to him on a plate and all he had to do was to reach out and take it. He would miss Jack, but there were always consequences for actions and these had been a long time coming. There was no alternative. 

They were sat on the edge of the bed, arms wrapped tightly about one another when Ianto took a deep breath and attempted to reason with Jack.

“We have to do what they want. There’s no choice. Don’t argue, please listen. There are times when professional and personal interests can be served by the same set of actions – like when I shot the bastards that attacked us - and then there are times when they can’t, and this is one of them. Your duty has to come first, Jack. Torchwood needs you and the rest of the team need you in charge, not some puppet installed by UNIT. And for what it’s worth, I trust and believe that you will do everything you possibly can to get me released. I’ll go with them.”

“Ianto – I can’t ask you to do this!”

“You don’t have to, because I’m volunteering. Let’s face it, Jack, now they’ve issued a warrant, if I don’t go along with them, they would be entitled to hunt me down and kill me. I think I fancy my chances better this way.”

“I would never let them get near you – you know that!”

“At what cost? Don’t even think about it, Jack. There is no option.”

“I will do everything – we all will.”

“I know. But there are two things I need you to do for me now.”

“Anything.”

“First of all – the power cell. It’s in my jacket pocket. Please take it and destroy it. Whatever it takes. I never want to see it again.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of that. What else?”

“That’s more difficult. I don’t know if I can ask this of you…” 

“Please- Ianto, I meant what I said, anything …”

“The memory stick – Gates said it had recordings of the memories… could you check that for me? I don’t think I could have, even if …well I don’t think I would have been able to do it. And now I don’t think I should be found with that on me.”

“I'll do that. But... are you really certain about all this? About handing yourself over to UNIT? Because I'm damn sure I’m not.” 

“Jack – those bastards have to be stopped and if this is what it takes, I’m ready.”

“OK, let’s go talk to Owen and Gwen.”

“A few more minutes, please?”

“Of course.”

Jack pulled Ianto as tight to him as possible. Now he knew what his subconscious had been warning him about. The threats made by Morgan and by Gates had not been idle. They really had intended to destroy both Ianto and himself.


	43. Chapter 43

“Jack!” exclaimed Gwen furiously. “How could you even think of letting him do this?”

“He is here, Gwen,” Ianto reached out to stop Gwen from physically attacking Jack. “And it’s not a matter of Jack letting me, I'm insisting on it.”

“She’s got a point though, mate,” Owen observed from the side-lines, reluctant to get involved in the argument as he could see Ianto’s reasoning. “I get why you’d offer to it, but it’s still fucking insane.”

“Like I said back in the pub, there isn’t time for us to do anything else. I wish to hell there was.” Jack sighed wearily, knowing that this was an argument he had to win, however much he wished that wasn’t the case. “The only way to stop those bastards is with the manpower that UNIT can supply. We can’t do anything on our own.” 

Having come to an impasse, they all stopped talking and settled back into an uncomfortable silence once more, leaning on the stone wall outside the pub, resigned to a course of action that each of them had a sick feeling about. It was Owen that broke the silence as he turned to face Ianto.

“There is one thing I can do – as your doctor I can insist on you being taken to the medical facility first for assessment of your injuries. That way there will be a record of those, in case…well you know. It will also buy a bit of time.”

“Thanks Owen, I appreciate that.” Ianto made an attempt to smile, but his heart wasn’t in it.

“That’s a good idea, Owen, why don’t you go and call Price now? That way she won’t feel wrong footed as soon as she gets here. More chance of her agreeing.” Jack knew that this was grasping at straws, but it was better than nothing. “Tosh has the contact number.” 

Owen nodded and headed back into the SUV, relieved to have something constructive to do. 

“So we just wait here until they turn up- is that right?” Gwen asked as she shuffled closer to Ianto.

Gwen wanted to take hold of Ianto’s hand, but as he’d shoved both into his pockets, she settled for hooking an arm through the crook of his elbow, as if that would anchor him and prevent him from being taken from them. She looked over to where Jack stood on the other side of Ianto, an arm around the younger man’s shoulders, probably with the same thought in mind. She’d been struck by Jack’s face when he’d detailed UNIT’s demands, grim and pale. Throughout the entire briefing he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off Ianto, it was as if he didn’t want to waste a single second that they had left in each other’s company.

“Yes, we wait.” Jack felt Ianto shivering and moved closer, wanting to pull him into his coat, wishing that he had some idea of when he’d next have any contact at all with his lover. He could not accept that this would be permanent, there was no way he was going to allow Ianto to rot in a UNIT prison. 

It wasn’t long before a small convoy of UNIT trucks and jeeps pulled into the visitors’ car park by Porth yr Ogof, a site of natural beauty, popular with walkers. The area was still cordoned off by the police and seemed as good a place as any to co-ordinate the operation to search the caves. Jack didn’t want to use the pub car park, he couldn’t face having to explain to Winnie how he could stand by and do nothing as Ianto was arrested, and she’d already given him a look of disapproval that morning, evidently having noticed that Ianto wasn’t looking any better.

Seeing the trucks turn up made it all very real for Ianto, who was feeling tense enough already. Coupled with a burgeoning headache and growing nausea, the cold was making him shiver. The more he tried to suppress how he was feeling the more difficult it became, not helped by the way Jack kept gazing at him, as if he was going to vanish into thin air at any moment. He leaned into Jack’s body trying to maintain contact as long as possible, although it just made it harder for him to prepare to let go, to allow himself to be taken. But, if he didn’t go willingly, they would destroy Jack, and he could not let that happen. Focusing on that one thought, he tried to remain impassive as he watched the soldiers disembark from the backs of trucks and the commanding officer get out of a UNIT Land Rover. 

If appearances were anything to go by, Captain Price looked supremely efficient, from her severely scraped back blonde hair to the glossy shine on her shoes. However, despite her stern exterior, she wasn’t lacking in sensitivity, she could tell from the way that Harkness was tightly clasping the young man next to him that the rumours were probably true. Although she could be sympathetic, she could not afford leniency in front of her men. The evidence that UNIT possessed could not be ignored and there was no choice but to act upon it.

Jack reluctantly took his arm away from Ianto in order to step forward and introduce himself, which he did brusquely as he shook hands with the UNIT officer. Her grip was firm and she kept hold of his hand as she apologised for the orders she was following.

“I am truly sorry about this, Captain Harkness. If there was any other way…” She shook her head gently and then moved back a step, as if to declare that what she said next did not reflect her personal views, but those of UNIT. “However, procedures have to be followed. Both Torchwood and UNIT are under the control of the Crown in this country and the agreement between our two organisations must be respected.”

“I understand, ma’am. You received instructions from my medical officer?”

“Yes, Captain. Mr Jones will be taken from here directly to a secure medical facility for initial processing.”

Jack stole a glance at Ianto and could see that all colour seemed to have gone from his face, his lips pursed tight together and his eyes downcast. He would give anything to grab hold of him that very moment, bundle him into the SUV and just drive the hell away from all of this. But there was nothing he could do. He swore that Gates would pay for this. 

Captain Price then issued the formal order for Ianto’s arrest and gestured for two soldiers to take him into custody. One of them took a set of handcuffs from his pocket as he advanced on Ianto. She noticed that this caused the rest of the Torchwood team to bristle with animosity and it almost looked as if they would prevent her men from doing their job, so Price had no choice but to intervene and lay down the law. 

“Regulations dictate that prisoners in transit must be restrained.”

“For fuck’s sake, you can’t cuff him!” shouted Owen. “He’s got an injured arm!”

“Which arm?”

“The left one.”

“Then we’ll just cuff his right arm to that of a guard.” 

Ianto took a deep breath and let it out slowly, focusing on shutting down, he couldn’t afford to let this affect him, because if he did, Jack would crack and all would be lost. He closed his eyes as he felt the handcuff click into place around his right wrist and then his arm dragged out as the other end was fastened to a burly looking soldier. When he looked up his eyes met Jack’s and they exchanged one last silent exchange. Then Ianto gave a tight-lipped smile as he nodded his head and turned towards the awaiting vehicle. 

As Jack watched the soldier in his red beret tug Ianto towards the back of a jeep, carelessly shoving his head down as they ducked into the back seat, he made a conscious decision to burn the red beret that was in his quarters back at the Hub. He never wanted to see Ianto wear it again. 

Gwen and Owen couldn’t trust themselves to say another word, they just stood, arms folded, faces grim, as the jeep drove off with their friend. Gwen reached out and grabbed hold of Owen’s hand as the jeep disappeared from sight, hoping that the physical contact would help her to keep her tears at bay. Jack didn’t need to see them. For this time, they genuinely did not know when they would see Ianto again. One look at Jack was enough to see that this was tearing him apart inside. 

Captain Price stood to one side and watched the reactions of Harkness and his people, they looked heartbroken. She considered again her encounter with Dr Martha Jones that morning as she was getting ready to set off. The medical officer had heard about the orders given to arrest Ianto Jones from her contacts at Torchwood and had been virtually spitting with anger, arguing that there must have been a mistake; she had even threatened them with her resignation if they carried out these orders. It occurred to Marian that if Dr Jones was convinced of this man’s innocence there must be cause for doubt. Despite her youth, she had been a Companion, which gave her vast credibility in the UNIT organisation. 

Price had contacted Martha after the request had been made by Dr Harper, requesting that she supervise the medical evaluation of Ianto Jones. She knew that UNIT had lost its way since the terrorist attacks at the beginning of the new millennium and the increased hostile alien activity, but fundamentally it was the same organisation that had been run by Brigadier Lethbridge- Stewart back in the days when the Doctor had been their Special Scientific Advisor. Harkness had also been a Companion according to some. It would be a grave offence to wrongly incarcerate a close friend of two of the Doctor’s Companions. 

Marian Price sighed and took stock of the situation, she knew that what these people needed right now was to concentrate on the job at hand. They needed a focus and it didn’t look as if Harkness was up to providing it any time soon.

“Right then let’s get this over with quickly – I propose that we split into three teams, take an entrance each, one member of Torchwood with each group of my men. That way we can verify each other’s findings and have joint records of everything we uncover down there. Is that an acceptable course of action for you, Captain Harkness?”

“Yes ma’am.” Despite the ache in his chest, Jack admired the efficient way that this woman was running the operation. Grateful too, because at that moment he couldn’t have given an order if his team’s existence depended on it.


	44. Chapter 44

Jack and Captain Price pored over the 3-D map that Tosh had produced of the cave system; she had sent him an updated version taking into account readings that the team had made from inside the caves. Jack transferred the program onto Price’s PDA so that she could forward it to the two men she’d placed in charge of the teams that were to go with Owen and Gwen. 

The plan was for Jack to take the main entrance with Price herself and the larger contingent of UNIT soldiers. Owen was to take a small group to the entrance that Jack had used when he’d gone in to rescue Ianto, whilst Gwen was to re-trace her steps back to the narrow entrance she’d wriggled through. Gwen took Price to one side and explained that the group of men she took shouldn’t be too bulky as the access was tight. Price had smiled kindly at her and suggested that she select half a dozen men that looked to have the right build. 

They set off in UNIT trucks, the most sensible arrangement, albeit it one that made the Torchwood members more than a little uncomfortable. Jack found himself squashed up next to Captain Price at the front of one of the trucks. He could barely bring himself to talk, there was a lump in his throat that the words couldn’t squeeze past and he gazed out of the window, trying to avoid getting into a conversation. However, Price seemed to have no respect for that as she turned to him and spoke quietly in his ear.

“Captain Harkness, I thought you’d like to know that I have given instructions for one particular medical officer to supervise the assessment of your colleague. Her name is Martha Jones, I believe you know of her -”

“Oh yes, yes I do know Martha.” Jack allowed himself to smile, there was hope after all, Martha would not let any harm come to Ianto. A wave of relief flooded through his body and he owed gratitude to this particular UNIT officer. He also felt that he could trust her. “Thank you, Captain Price. I appreciate that.”

“It’s Marian. But not in front of the men, OK?”

“Yes, ma’am. Please call me Jack.”

“Back to business then. We’ll need to round up the people operating this set up first, make sure they don’t cause trouble. What are we expecting? Trained militia or armed amateurs?”

“These are men who used to work for the Torchwood Institute. They used the destruction of Torchwood London as a cover to fake their own deaths and to steal weaponry, technology, biological agents – you name it – and then set up their own organisation. From the lists we drew up, there are some that were trained field agents, although the majority were technicians and scientists.”

“So, essentially we’re dealing with rogue elements of an organisation that was beyond the law to begin with?” 

“You could put it that way.” 

“And they have a range of weapons in their possession, some of which incorporate alien technology?”

“Yes.” Jack couldn’t help but admire the way the woman had succinctly summarised the root of the problem they had to tackle. 

“Then, Captain Harkness, I believe that I have no choice but to instruct my men to shoot to kill, if they are placed in situations that may be perceived as potentially dangerous. Is that going to be a problem for you?”

“Not at all. I’m in total support. With two exceptions – if at all possible.”

“Really? There are two whose lives you’d spare, that does surprise me.”

“Only so I can question them … in person. Gates and Barton. I couldn’t give a damn about the rest of them.” 

Jack did not want either man to get away without facing him on his territory and answering for what they had put Ianto through. He didn’t want to think what he would do to them if he couldn’t get a reprieve for Ianto. 

“If they can be taken without compromising the safety of my men, they’re yours.”

“Thank you.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eventually the cohort of soldiers accompanying Jack and Captain Price rounded up a group of eight technical staff who had been working in the cavern that Ianto and Jack had been taken to. They had been in the process of packing away their equipment and miscellaneous items of Cyber technology as Price and her men moved in, patently caught in the act of secreting away alien weaponry. Jack caught the eye of the blonde woman that Ianto had recognised and could see her total lack of repentance. These people deserved the fate that they had condemned Ianto to. If UNIT threw her in a cell and threw away the key, he would applaud them for doing so.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whilst Jack was helping Price search the other interconnected caverns, Gwen was crouching down next to the cage in a cavern being searched by UNIT soldiers. She couldn’t help cooing at the occupant of the pen and wondering how on earth they were going to deal with it. Hopefully, she could persuade Jack to take care of it, although she didn’t think that it would get on too well with their pteranodon. She wondered, wistfully, what Ianto would make of it; she smiled as she imagined him rolling his eyes as he worked out the logistics of feeding yet another exotic pet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Owen was cursing out loud that he really hated caves. He didn’t want to waste any more time than he had to as he followed the group of soldiers as they headed towards the Portakabin, now clearly marked on their maps. Although he hated caves, what he loathed even more were doctors who betrayed the Hippocratic Oath and abused their knowledge to cause harm. He hoped that he could get hold of Barton before Jack did. But then again, maybe he didn’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The well co-ordinated teams of armed men, with powerful torches and heat-seeking equipment, wasted no time in flushing out the remaining personnel that had tried to retreat into the caverns. There had only been a single incident of one idiot, trying to take them on with a flame thrower of some sort, that had to be stopped by lethal force. The others could tell that there was no escape and some of them were actually grateful to surrender to UNIT, they had grown tired of working underground with no daylight and insufficient heating. It was only the hardcore element, fanatically deluded in the prospect of a born-again Torchwood, in the image of its Victorian origins, that refused to give in easily.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several hours later, the three trucks returned to the car park they’d set out from, where the other vehicles were awaiting them. The prisoners were all transferred to two trucks that set off straightaway for the UNIT detention centre. One jeep returned to the main entrance to provide tactical support for the group of soldiers left behind to seal the caves; they would wait there on guard until the heavy trucks arrived to ship out the bulk of the crates discovered inside.

Captain Price took Jack aside to quietly discuss the immediate action to be taken against Gates and Barton. Although she had agreed to hand them over to Jack, it was all too obvious that what he had in mind was subjecting the two men to a particularly painful interrogation. The undisguised hatred she had seen depicted on the faces of all three members of Torchwood as they watched these prisoners being cuffed, informed Price that they had their own reasons to despise them. But, she could not, in good conscience, turn over prisoners to be tortured. She hoped that she could reason with Jack. She was surprised that he was willing to agree to her proposition. 

Jack realised that the bloodlust he felt would not leave either man able to walk if he was to get his hands on them, so he reluctantly agreed to their transfer to a UNIT holding centre. He would visit them the following day and interview them with Price in attendance. That way UNIT would find out what had been going on and Jack wouldn’t end up killing them before they had paid for their crimes. He would also have to meet with Colonel Mace to discuss the future disposal of the weapons they had recovered.

Before parting company, Jack thanked Marian Price once again for her assistance and complimented her on how efficiently she had mobilised her troops. He then stood to attention and saluted her as she got into her jeep, bidding her farewell. The sun was setting and there was already the scent of frost in the air. As Jack walked back over to where Owen and Gwen leaned against the side of the SUV, he could see from Gwen’s drained expression and Owen’s demeanour that both had had enough and were ready to return to Cardiff.

“Owen, take Gwen back to Cardiff and drop her off at her flat. I’ll take the SUV and see you both back at the Hub tomorrow morning.”

“What about Ianto?” asked Gwen. She hadn’t dared ask earlier when Jack had looked as if he would throttle anyone who even mentioned Ianto’s name to him. But now he seemed as if he had come to terms with it and was more willing to discuss what had happened.

“Captain Price assured me that Martha would be looking after him when he reached the medical facility. We have to trust that Martha will do what she can to keep him safe. I’m going to check in with her shortly.”

“Let me know how he’s doing. As his doctor, you know, I need to be kept informed … that’s all.”

“Yeah, Owen,” smiled Jack, seeing right through Owen’s gruff manner. “I’ll let you know how he is as soon as I find out.”

Watching Owen drive off, far too fast for a narrow country lane it seemed, Jack took a deep breath and clutching his phone he made the call to Martha Jones. After an interminable wait, the connection dropped. There was no answer. The lack of response made Jack’s heart sink.


	45. Chapter 45

Martha had switched off her mobile phone and handed it in at the desk as she entered the secure medical facility. She walked through the metal detector and then collected the medical bag that had been searched by a security guard on reception.

“You’ll find him in cubicle 12, Dr Jones.” 

“Thank you.”

The cubicles were on one side of a long corridor and Martha could tell from the armed guard outside, exactly which one Ianto was being held in. She tried to rein in her feelings; she had to give the impression of total professionalism if she was going to be able to help him. As she approached the guard who was watching the CCTV image of the occupant of the cubicle, she stood to attention in her black UNIT uniform, over which she had donned a white coat. 

She flashed her identity tag to the guard who quickly fed in the sequence of numbers to the key pad and then pushed open the door for her. From the doorway she could see that Ianto was sitting on the edge of the hospital cot, his head bowed forward, hands in lap and completely naked.

Martha’s eyes widened and she unleashed her anger on the guard. 

“Why isn’t he dressed? What the hell happened to his clothes?”

“Strip search ma’am. Standard procedure to check for concealed weapons or suicide devices. His clothes were taken away for checking for any hidden mechanisms. We had strict instructions not to take any chances.” 

Martha felt the fury building up and could only imagine what Jack would say if he found out what they had subjected Ianto to.

“Mr Jones is my patient now, so you can go fetch me a set of overalls for him. And while you’re at it go to the canteen and bring back some sandwiches and a mug of tea.”

“I shouldn’t leave my post, ma’am.”

“You’ll follow my orders or answer to Colonel Mace. Is that clear?”

“Yes ma’am.”

Martha didn’t wait to see him leave, she put the lock on the latch and quickly walked straight into the cell. The walls of the room were tiled floor to ceiling with white tiles, probably to make it easier to hose down thought Martha with disgust. There was a hospital cot against one wall, a battered plastic chair and at one end a toilet and wash basin. The room was brightly lit by halogen bulbs set deep in the ceiling along with cameras and monitoring equipment. It was austere and unwelcoming, but at least it was clean.

“Ianto? Are you OK?” Martha whispered urgently. She knew what the strip search would have entailed and felt mortified on Ianto’s behalf, he was a man of quiet dignity and that procedure would have left him feeling humiliated. 

“Sore, bit cold, and ever so slightly embarrassed.” Ianto spoke the honest truth softly. He was grateful to see Martha, yet that made him feel even more self-conscious. “But it’s good to see a friendly face.”

“Yeah, well the last time I saw you, you were dressed in a suit. Hang on a moment, I’ll grab a gown, try to preserve your dignity at least.”

Martha returned with a thin cotton gown that Ianto slipped on and tied about his waist. Although it didn’t do much to warm him up, he was glad not to feel quite so exposed in front of Martha. He couldn’t help but think that if it were Jack in this situation he wouldn’t have cared less about sitting there stark naked. 

Whilst Martha waited for the guard to return she decided to make a start with the medical exam. She took a clipboard from her bag and started to fill in details on the form provided. 

“Right Mr Jones, I’ve got details of a number of injuries that Dr Harper sent over for me to monitor. I think I’ll run some blood tests as well. That way I’ll need to keep you here overnight to wait for the results. OK?” Martha winked as she dipped into her bag for a sterile syringe and a number of vials. 

The guard didn’t return until after Martha had taken the blood samples. She was busily filling in the labels on the vials of blood, when he returned with a set of overalls and a tray of food.

“Thank you, that will be all. I’ll knock on the door when I am finished in here.”

“Don’t you want me to stay with you?” The guard flashed a glare at Ianto.

“No, soldier. I can take care of myself and I don’t think I’m in any danger. Don’t worry, I’ll call if I need your assistance.” 

Martha let loose a sigh of relief as the guard left them unattended, she had been worried that he might have insisted on being present. She took out a small device from her bag, that looked just like an electronic sphygmomanometer for measuring blood pressure, and placed it on the mattress next to Ianto.

“Right then, let’s check the stitches and dressings on the wounds on your back and ear.” Martha referred to the list on her check sheet and then looked up and tilted her head to one side. “Meanwhile, you can tell me what the hell is going on.”

“Um, you want me to tell you everything? Here?” Ianto rolled his eyes upwards at the ceiling meaningfully.

“No worries,” Martha pointed at the electronic device next to his leg. “That creates sonic interference, makes it seem as if the sound recording is defective. So as long as I actually inspect your injuries we’re OK to talk. Just don’t face the top right hand corner when you’re speaking. That’s where the camera is and UNIT employ lip readers.”

Martha got Ianto to slip the hospital gown off his arms, so that she could check his back. She peeled away the stained dressing from the knife wound he’d sustained a few days ago, frowning as she did so. The events of the past few days had not helped it heal as it should have done.

“Looks like you’ve pulled a few stitches. I’m going to spray it with a local anaesthetic and then put a few more proper stitches in. Talk to me while I do that.”

Martha was facing the camera in the ceiling as she worked on Ianto’s side, which allowed him to fill her in with the details of their encounters with the renegade Torchwood London people and what they had dealt with in the caves in the Brecon Beacons. He then told her about the threats made by Gates and the deal that UNIT had made with Torchwood. Her eyes widened as she tried to take in the fact that Jack would agree to this and as Ianto rushed on to explain why he had insisted on going along with it, she squeezed his hand, realising that he was doing this out of loyalty to Jack. That man didn’t know how lucky he was, she thought, but if she ever got the chance she would make sure he knew exactly how much he owed this man. 

Martha nodded occasionally and spoke a few words of encouragement as she worked on Ianto’s side and then progressed to the damage to his ear. Checking sutures and changing dressings with meticulous attention to detail, she prompted Ianto for more information in such a way that it appeared as if she was merely asking about his injuries. 

“Right then, all finished, why don’t you get those overalls on and then grab a sandwich and have some of that tea. I’m sorry to say it will probably taste disgusting, but you need to avoid becoming dehydrated.” 

“Thank you.”

Martha sat back in the chair and discretely wrote up her notes and observations while Ianto got dressed. She only once glanced up and her eyebrows shot up her forehead as she saw him from behind, bending over to pull the trousers over his bare feet. She bit her lip and smiled to herself, if she had ever speculated about the reason Jack was physically attracted to Ianto, she didn’t have to wonder any more. 

“Whoa… I mean, when you’ve …um…done that I’ll check that arm and then I’ll have to leave.”

“Are you OK, Martha? You look a bit flushed.” Ianto turned as he slowly pulled the zip up at the front of the jumpsuit he’d been given to wear, trying not to catch any chest hair. He was sure he’d heard a sharp intake of breath and was concerned.

“I’m fine, just a bit warm, that’s all.” Martha attempted to smile ingenuously, she could hardly tell him the real reason the temperature in the room seemed to have gone up in the last few minutes. “Get back up on the bed and roll that sleeve up, will you?” 

Taking hold of his arm, Martha focused her attention on removing the dressing carefully, avoiding looking Ianto in the face.

“Owen said this should heal up fine, as long as I kept it clean and dry.”

“Did he use the skin regenerator? It’s done a nice job, we could do with that going into mass production, think what it could do for burns units.”

“That’s what Owen says.”

“How is he?”

“About the same, considering his condition.” Ianto was not going to risk discussing Owen’s status – even if Martha assured him that no sound would be picked up by the monitors.

“I can imagine.” 

Standing up to collect her equipment, Martha put her hand on Ianto’s knee. She wished there was some way she could do more to make sure he’d be well looked after, but knew that she had limited parameters that she could work within.

“They can’t transfer you to the main detention centre without me signing you off first, I’ll delay that as long as I can,” Martha whispered in his ear, making out that she was checking the bite marks one last time. 

“Thank you.” Ianto got off the bed to crouch down and pick up the empty tray from the floor, and as he did so he made a request of Martha. “Please call Jack. Let him know I’ll be OK. Tell him … tell him I remember what he said. He’ll understand.”

As Ianto stood up and placed the tray on the chair that Martha had vacated she was sure she noticed his eyes shining brighter. She smiled at him and nodded to let him know she’d heard what he’d said.

“You’re welcome, Mr Jones. Like I said, you’ll have to stay here until I get the results of these blood tests and I won’t be able to get those until tomorrow sometime. I’ll be back in the morning to check for infection and make sure you’re fit to travel.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There were more than twenty missed calls on her phone and several text messages, each more panicked sounding than the last. 

“Jack?”

“Where the hell have you been? I’ve been trying to call you for the last two hours! Is Ianto OK? What’s happened?” 

“Calm down, Jack. If I ever had any doubt about your feelings for Mr Jones, I certainly don’t now. He’s alright for now. He’s in a secure unit at the medical centre. I’ve taken blood samples for testing, which will mean he has to stay overnight there and they can’t take him until tomorrow at the earliest.”

“Thank God for that. You’ve seen him then?”

“Yes, I checked his injuries and took some blood, like I just told you. There were no injuries other than the ones that Owen told me about. But … they did give him a full body search on arrival, so I hope there wasn’t anything for them to find.”

“Bastards!” hissed Jack. “They didn’t hurt him did they?”

“Only his dignity – there wasn’t anything to find was there?”

“No, Martha, nothing. No tracking devices or concealed weapons. How was he?”

“Ianto told me what’s going on. He’s coping… well, he’s coping how I’d expect him to – quietly and like it’s his duty. He’s been through a rough time by the looks of things, Jack. You’d better be working on a way to get him out of this. Because if you’re not, mister, you’ll have me to answer to.”

“You too?” 

“Yes, me too. I’ve been there you know, where Ianto is. I know what it’s like to be prepared to give up everything for someone I loved so much-” 

“I know what you’re saying, Martha, but it’s not the same.” Jack knew she was comparing her feelings for the Doctor with Ianto’s for him, and he recognised the similarities in undying loyalty and self-sacrifice, but the difference was that his heart didn’t belong to someone else.

“Jack, he had a message for you, Ianto wanted me to tell you that he’d be OK and that he remembered what you’d told him. Does that make sense? He said you’d understand.”

“Yes.” Jack sighed thinking he knew what Ianto was referring to. “I told him to remember that I’d always come after him.”

“I hope to God you do, Jack. You’d better have a plan and you’ve got to move fast. I can’t delay his transfer by much and once anyone is admitted to the main prison it can take weeks just to get access to them.”

“I know Martha. Trust me I know.” Jack rubbed the deep crease that seemed to have settled in the centre of his brow. Owen and Martha between them had bought time, but their efforts wouldn’t be worth a damn if he couldn’t come up with a way to get Ianto freed.


	46. Chapter 46

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Whilst Ianto languishes in a UNIT holding cell, the team glimpse some light at the end of the tunnel ...

As soon as Jack had finished speaking with Martha, he grabbed a quick shower and a change of clothes. He had no intention of going to bed, but needed to freshen up so he could think more clearly. Despite being relieved beyond measure that Ianto hadn’t yet been taken to one of those awful cells that he’d found Tosh in, Jack knew there was no time to lose on working on a way to get him released. He spent the rest of the night going through everything they had on Gates, desperate to find out how he had managed to carry out his threat to have Ianto arrested for treason. If he could only discover who Gates had contacted, he’d have a lead. He figured that the threatened dossier of evidence against Ianto would have been about Lisa. That meant Jack had to go through Ianto’s files as well.

He hardly registered the arrival of Tosh and Owen. The sound of the cog wheel door opening and closing could have signalled the arrival of any one of his team – well any of them but one. All Jack knew was that he had to stay focused, on task – Ianto was depending on him.

However, there was no way that Jack could ignore the whirlwind of fury that was Tosh as she stormed into his office and threw herself at him as he stood up to see what was wrong. She hammered her fists against his chest, relentlessly, battering him hard enough to cause pain. 

Owen had run up the stairs to Jack’s office as soon as he saw Tosh take off. She’d been seething when he’d picked her up from her flat that morning. He should have known how she’d react once she actually set eyes on Jack. Upon seeing her launch her attack, Owen tried to intervene but Jack stopped him with a look.

“No, it’s OK, I deserve this,” said Jack bitterly, before wrapping his arms around Tosh, pulling her close to his chest. He could feel her shoulders shake as she broke into uncontrollable sobs. 

“I begged you not to let them take him. Wasn’t there any other way?”

“I wish there was, but now we have to focus on getting him back. OK?” Jack gently cupped Tosh’s chin and tilted her head back so that he could look into her eyes. 

She nodded and sniffed as she reached into her pocket for a tissue to blow her nose. 

“There’s something I need you to do, something that could help Ianto.” Jack steered Tosh by the arm towards his desk, sat her down and handed her the flash drive that Ianto had entrusted to him.

“Tosh, I hate to ask you to do this, but I need you to look through the files on this. Gates said that it contained downloads of the memories held on the cyber power unit I removed from Lisa’s brain.” Jack paused to take a deep breath. “According to that bastard, this contains recordings from the point of conversion to the moment of death. They already had footage from somewhere of Ianto dragging Lisa out of the Tower. We can explain that as the actions of a man rescuing his partially converted girlfriend in a moment of terror. What worries me, is what evidence they have of Ianto bringing her here and how he kept her alive. Unless we know what they are using against him, we can’t present a defence argument.”

“They can’t court martial him, can they? He’s not UNIT.” Owen was leaning against the door frame, his arms folded across his chest.

“No, but they do have the power to lock him away with no reprieve, that’s what they do,” Jack sighed as he shot a glance in Tosh’s direction. “It’s imperative that we prove his innocence.”

“One problem with that though, isn’t there? Strictly speaking, he isn’t.” Owen could feel the air thicken in the office as soon as he spoke. “Come on, we all know it. He’s not innocent. He did help a Cyberman escape and he kept it alive!” 

Jack stormed across the office to grab hold of the front of Owen’s jacket, hoisting him up and shoving him against the glass wall.

“Ianto is no less innocent than any of us! All he’s guilty of is being willing to do anything for someone he loved. Owen, if I hadn’t stopped you, you’d have done anything for Katy, wouldn’t you?” Jack released Owen from his grip and twisted around to address Tosh. “Remember what you were prepared to do to keep your mother safe?” 

“But-” Owen started to protest.

“There are no ‘buts’. As for me, you really don’t want to know what I’ve done in the past. Or the future for that matter. So I don’t want to hear one more word of doubt when it comes to Ianto’s innocence. Is that clear?”

“Crystal.” Although he had taken the point, Owen was still confused about Jack’s request of Tosh. “So, why do you want her to go through that? Why not do it yourself?”

Jack looked away and reflected on how to answer Owen. That damn memory stick had been taunting him throughout the night, but he kept putting it off, not being able to bring himself to watch it. He had eventually watched some, starting with the most recent files, those that related to the discovery of the Cyberman in his basement. In the early hours of that morning, in an empty Hub, he had sat with tears rolling down his cheeks, as he watched Ianto finally come apart at the seams, spattered with the blood and gore of what was left of his girlfriend. 

There were other, more selfish, reasons for not being able to finish the job. There had been another part of the recording that had made Jack cringe in horror, not over the Cyberman’s actions, but his own. The complete absence of compassion, as he issued orders that no one with a heart should ever give another living soul. His anger had caused him to revert to the man he used to be, ruthless and cruel. Then he saw her viewpoint as she killed Ianto. It was as if his own hand was reaching out and tightening about his lover's throat, the image of Ianto in the screen looked directly at him, bewildered and heart broken, just before his limp body was thrown violently aside. That proved to be too much for Jack. He had seen a lot of horrific sights in his many years, but that was more than he could stomach. Watching it, even on the small screen of his computer, made him feel as if he was murdering the man he had grown to care for so very much. He had stopped the playback, pulled the memory stick from the port on his computer and then thrown it across the office. Jack shuddered as he recalled the feelings of revulsion that had gripped him just a few hours ago.

“Oi, Jack!” yelled Owen. “Come on, answer the question. Why can’t you do that?”

“Because… because I can’t watch it from an objective point of view, Owen.” Jack’s voice was quiet and he met Owen’s eyes willing him to grasp what he couldn’t put into words. “I just …can’t.” 

Owen caught the haunted look in Jack’s face and knew then that he had tried and that the contents were too painful for him. He had no choice but to concede and not push Jack any further.

“Alright, I suppose that does make sense.”

“What else have we got to go on?” Jack looked from Owen to Tosh, hoping they’d have something to suggest.

“When we got back yesterday, Tosh set the program running to match the mugshots of those that UNIT rounded up against our databank of Torchwood personnel: missing, presumed alive and kicking. Every single one is a match.” 

“That’s what we expected I guess.” Jack wiped a hand over his face, wishing there was something more tangible to go on. “I’ve got another three hours until I need to set off for UNIT headquarters. In that time we’ve got to have a strategy for getting them to release Ianto. I can’t let them imprison him. Tosh knows why.”

Tosh felt a shiver of dread course through her body. She still had the occasional nightmare of that time when she was a prisoner of UNIT. She knew only too well what fate awaited Ianto if they failed. It also occurred to her that it would be worse for him, especially if they knew of his relationship with Jack. The mere thought of what they might do to him caused more tears to spring to her eyes.

“Did you get through to Martha?” Tosh asked, wiping her face with a tissue.

“Yes, she can keep Ianto in the medical assessment unit for the rest of the day, but not much longer than that. She’s done as much as she can.”

“Why don’t I see if I can get in touch with her?” offered Owen. “See if I can get an update on his medical condition.” 

Wanting to leave Tosh to speak with Jack on her own, Owen turned on his heel and was about to make his way down the stairs when he was almost bowled over by Gwen, who came clattering up the stairs in a rush.

“Owen – is Jack in there?”

“What is it, Gwen?” Jack called out, a resigned tone to his voice as he shook his head at Tosh. “What’s the matter?”

“I’ve been thinking-”

“Bollocks, Ianto has had it now …” Owen muttered under his breath as he stood to one side to let Gwen push past him.

“Shut the fuck up, Owen Harper and let me speak!” Gwen growled impatiently. 

As she stepped into Jack’s office, it was evident that she hadn’t slept well either. Her hair was lank and she had dark rings under her eyes. She was also short tempered and had apparently decided that she wasn’t prepared to take any crap from Owen.

“Hush, Owen – let’s hear her out first,” Jack chastised Owen as he gestured for Gwen to take a seat. “Any ideas at this point are worth considering. What have you got, Gwen?”

“What about that mole they had working for them at UNIT? Can we find out their identity?” 

“That’s UNIT’s fucking problem,” interrupted Owen angrily. “I say we let them figure that out for themselves.”

“They probably don’t even know there is one, Owen!” snapped Gwen with exasperation. “But what if we worked it out and then offered to give UNIT the name of the mole in exchange for Ianto?” 

Gwen looked frantically at her team mates, hoping at least one of them would support her idea.

“Hang on, have I missed a meeting or something? What mole?” Jack demanded. “What the hell are you two talking about?”

Owen and Gwen looked at Tosh as if they thought she’d filled Jack in on their discovery of the presence of a Torchwood London mole in UNIT. She just shook her head and sighed.

“What damn mole? Somebody talk to me!” Jack slammed his hand down on his desk, making the various ornaments and trinkets jump out of place.

“Shit. We didn’t get around to telling you about that, did we?”

“No, Owen, nobody told me, but I hope to hell someone’s going to tell me now! Tosh?”

“Remember the crates in the storage cavern that you took photos of? Well, some of them had serial numbers that I managed to cross reference to boxes checked off by Suzie Costello. After what happened at Canary Wharf.”

“Our Suzie? What’s that got to do with UNIT?” Jack was confused, he hoped this didn’t come back to Suzie again, he really thought he’d known her.

“Those crates were part of a consignment, signed over to UNIT, to be packed onto a truck for transport to a secure storage depot.”

“Oh, I’m beginning to see the picture.” Jack’s face creased in a frown as he considered the implications. “Those crates never got to their destination and nobody chased up their disappearance. What was in them?”

“Ah yes,” Tosh sounded almost sheepish. She had really thought Gwen and Owen had told Jack about their findings. “The dismantled components of the multi-part laser array. It was last used on the orders of the Prime Minister to destroy the Sycorax vessel.” 

“Why the hell didn’t you guys mention this before?” Jack’s eyes lit up now, he could sense that this was the break they’d been looking for. “This is the bargaining chip that we can use to get them to hand over Ianto. If we can bring into play the fact that they allowed a weapon of that magnitude to be taken from under their noses, that’s embarrassing as hell. We could even threaten them with demands for an enquiry. Heads would roll over something like this.”

“Fucking hell – that’s right!” Owen picked up on the rush of optimism that had gripped Jack. “There’s no way they can deny it either. Captain Price will be able to verify what we’re saying.” 

“Hang on, Gates’ contact in UNIT?” Gwen interrupted excitedly, she’d managed to make the connection that could save Ianto. “The one that pushed for Ianto’s arrest? I bet it’s the mole!” 

“Jack, if we can identify the mole, we can build up a case to discredit them, utterly and completely,” exclaimed Tosh. 

“Yeah and along with the proof that UNIT allowed a weapon of mass destruction, augmented with alien technology, to fall into the hands of a bunch of deranged renegades,” added Owen. “They’ll have to let Ianto go, won’t they?”

“Either that, or I will use all of that evidence to bring them down.” 

Tosh, Owen and Gwen saw from the expression on Jack’s face that his threat wasn’t an idle one. He was deadly serious.


	47. Chapter 47

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh dear, was that light at the end of the tunnel an oncoming train??

“Tosh – I need the original documents for the equipment that we signed over to UNIT from Torchwood London. If we have Suzie’s signature, there must be the countersignature of the UNIT officer that took responsibility for the consignment. Gwen, I want you to get to work on the lists of serial codes we collected yesterday, there may be other items that should have been sent to UNIT’s Black Archive facility. They’ve had security issues plaguing that place since it was set up.”

“What is this Black Archive facility?” Gwen demanded, never having heard of it before.

“It’s the latest repository of all the extra-terrestrial technology amassed by UNIT,” explained Tosh. “Jack’s right, if we can prove, beyond doubt, that items they took responsibility for never reached their destination, there will be hell to pay.”

“Oh yes. Trust me, this is just what we need. Blackmail is a nasty business, but they started this and now there’s only one currency they can use to buy my silence.”

“Ianto?” Tosh asked optimistically. 

“Yes, but we’ve got to move fast. I don’t want him to spend a minute more as a prisoner of UNIT than he has to. Owen, get onto Martha now will you? I need to know exactly how much time we’ve got.”

“Right you are, Jack. I’ll go and find out what the hell’s going on there.” 

“OK, let’s get to it people, we’re working against the clock on this.”

As the team made their way purposefully down to their work stations, all with one aim, Jack regretted not having known about this earlier. He put a call through to Colonel Mace’s secretary, confirming their meeting and the fact that he also wanted to interview both Gates and Barton. He also requested the presence of Captain Price, he had the impression that she could help swing the balance in their favour. 

Ironically the one person who had the diplomatic skills most likely to prove successful, just so happened to be the man currently threatened with being held indefinitely in a UNIT facility, without any rights, legal representation, trial, or communication with the outside world. Jack had a gut feeling that he was only going to get one chance at getting Ianto freed and he couldn’t afford to screw it up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The door to his cell swung open. He was ordered to his feet by a UNIT soldier and then Martha entered the room, her face solemn.

“Good morning, Mr Jones. Did you sleep well?”

“Oh yes, I slept like a log, Dr Jones. Must have been the bright lights and that comforting sense of being watched around the clock.” 

Martha smiled sadly, recognising Ianto’s attempts to put a humorous spin on the fact that he’d probably not slept a wink all night. 

“Shut the door please, I’ll let you know when I’m finished in here.” Martha made a point of dismissing the soldier as he didn’t seem to want to leave her on her own. This time she didn’t take out the sonic scrambler, not wanting to arouse too much suspicion. She just needed to ensure that Ianto picked up on her prompts. 

“You need to listen carefully, so you know what’s going on. I’d like you to roll your sleeve up please, right arm. I need to take some more blood. You appear to have been exposed to some uncommon virus that isn’t filed on our database. I need to run a DNA profile on the viral genome to cross reference it. If you prove to be contagious, you’ll have to be quarantined for a period of time before transfer.”

“How long?” Ianto obediently rolled up the sleeve of the red jumpsuit he’d been given to wear.

“Varies – could be a week, could be a year, all depends on what we find.” Martha gently inserted the needle into the vein in the inside of his elbow.

“Is that good news or bad?” Ianto frowned, trying to figure out whether UNIT quarantine facilities were likely to be the frying pan or the fire in comparison to the detention centre.

“Let me put it this way, if something medically odd is discovered, it might make you a prime candidate for … how shall I put this…um…” Martha swallowed hard as she tried to think of a good way of phrasing what she had to say, and failed. “Quarantine subjects are often used for experimental purposes.”

“Experimental? Oh, great.” Ianto leaned his head back, rolled his eyes and rubbed his face as he assimilated what Martha was saying between the lines. “Would this be a good time for me to suggest you consult my personal physician?”

“Have you been exposed to an alien pathogen or substance in the course of your duties at Torchwood?”

“I’m not authorised to provide details, but I’m sure my doctor could answer any questions you may have.”

“Right then, if you’re not prepared to divulge that information I have no choice but to get in touch with Torchwood then.” Martha made sure that it sounded as if she was doing this reluctantly, although it provided her with a legitimate reason for talking to Jack or Owen. “We’re not meant to pass on messages, but I’ll give your regards to Captain Harkness, shall I? I imagine he’d like to know how you’re doing.”

“Why not? If you speak to him, tell him I’m missing Cardiff and ask him to keep me in his memory.” Ianto hoped Martha had heard the emphasis he’d put on the last word.

“No worries, I’ll do that for you. Now I’d better take this to the lab and see what they make of it. You do need to know that if you are cleared for transfer to the prison, they’ll be coming to collect you in just under three hours’ time. But I’ll see you before then to let you know what’s happening, OK?”

“Thanks.”

Martha hated to see Ianto trying so hard to keep his emotions under control, but the way he was worrying his lower lip, that already looked as if he’d been biting it, conveyed to her the inner turmoil that was tormenting him. She wanted nothing more than to give him a great big hug and promise that Jack was on his way to rescue him, and that all would be well. But she couldn’t lie to him and she wasn’t able to offer him any comfort, not whilst they were being observed. She could only hope that Jack was getting his act together. With a heavy heart she gave Ianto a half smile and then rapped her knuckles on the door to the cell.

“Right, soldier, I’m finished in here for now, you can let me out.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was something about the weapon that Torchwood had used on the Sycorax, something about it rang a discordant bell in Jack’s memories. He dashed down the stairs from his office to find Tosh, he wasn’t going to ignore his instincts now, there was too much at stake.

“Tosh – I want you to look up the department at Torchwood One that designed the weapon used against the Sycorax. I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Give me a second, I’ve already got the files opened on Torchwood London research departments… here we go, William Horwood, engineer in charge of the laser array. Hang on…he was seconded to UNIT two months before the Battle of Canary Wharf, in May 2007! Then in October of that year, he was appointed by the Ministry of Defence to work as special weapons advisor on the Valiant-”

“The Valiant? Have you got the name of the minister responsible for that invitation?” Jack held his breath; he already knew what the answer would be and it was sending shivers of dread down his spine.

“It should be here, if I just access the records. Oh my God… the minister was Harold Saxon. But –”

“Of course!” Jack felt pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place about him. “That’s what was bugging me, the Valiant was armed with a scaled down version of that same damn weapon. Except Saxon had the lasers aimed at targets on the Earth, not in space. Is Horwood still with UNIT?”

“Yes, here he is – listed as a member of the technical support team at the Black Archive.” Tosh pointed at her screen. “If he is our mole, he would be easily able to fake the records there, make it look as if things hadn’t gone missing.”

“Yes and if he was employed by Saxon, he’d have been above suspicion at the time, no one would have questioned him.” Jack began to pace as he worked through the arguments. “So let’s get this straight, this guy, Horwood, worked for Torchwood One, then got seconded to UNIT. While he was in London he designed the same weapon that was diverted from UNIT to Gates. Saxon got him to design the Valiant weapon systems. Now he’s at the Black Archive facility. He would have access to all of UNIT’s files on Cyber technology and would be able to stitch up Ianto. It all fits!”

“It’s got to be him, Jack. I’ll get you a print out of all of this.” Tosh didn’t wait for Jack’s reply. She just set to work printing out every relevant document she could access, backing them up as she went along.

“Got a name on the release forms for those crates yet?” Jack shouted across to Gwen, who was busy squinting at a document she had managed to wrestle from the archives.

“Yes, Jack – but the signature is smudged, it looks like Bill Harwood? That doesn’t make sense.”

“Could it be Horwood?” Jack ran to her side to look at the crumpled piece of paper in the ring binder.

“Yes – yes it could!” 

“Good work guys – this has gotta work!” Jack smacked a fist into an open palm and looked ready to celebrate. 

“Jack!!” Owen had been waiting for the euphoria to die down before trying to get Jack’s attention, but he had to resort to bellowing to get Jack’s attention. 

Jack spun around, a silly grin plastered all over his face, one that disappeared as soon as he caught sight of the expression on Owen’s face.

“I got through to Martha – they’ve found evidence of an ‘odd’ viral infection in his blood.”

“The genetically engineered weevil virus?”

“Yeah – they’re going to run more tests and if necessary put him in quarantine-”

“That would be good wouldn’t it, buy more time?” asked Gwen naively.

“No, Gwen, it wouldn’t be good,” explained Owen. “UNIT use quarantine subjects for experimentation.”

“Oh shit…”

“Exactly. So I sent some files to Martha referring to vaccines against an outbreak of weevil ’flu, that should explain the antibodies in his blood.”

“Owen – what’s the really bad news?” Jack’s face was grim, he could tell that Owen had yet to tell them the worst.

“The really bad news is that now there’s nothing preventing Ianto from being transferred to the main prison facility. We’re running out of time. They’re going to take him from the medical centre in just under three hours’ time.”

“Damn! I’m got to set off now. Tosh – give me what you’ve got printed out. It’s up to you guys now, find out anything else you can that will strengthen our case and send it to my PDA. I can’t hang around here any longer.” 

“One more thing,” Owen paused briefly, looking at Jack with something akin to compassion. “Martha had a message for you from Ianto – says he’s missing Cardiff and asked you to keep him in your memories.”

Jack looked more determined than they had ever seen him. Without needing to be asked, his team rallied around him, providing the support he needed. Grabbing a sheaf of papers from Tosh, his coat from Gwen and the keys to the SUV from Owen, Jack raced out of the Hub with one thought on his mind. 

His personal and professional worlds had collided, and he’d be damned if the price to be paid was Ianto’s freedom.


	48. Chapter 48

By the time Jack reached UNIT Headquarters he realised that there was less than an hour left before Ianto was due to be transferred to the prison. Despite having broken the speed limits for most of the journey, blue lights running, there just wasn’t enough time. He was severely tempted to drive straight to the medical facility, storm it and just take Ianto, and deal with the aftermath later. It took more than a little self control to prevent him from doing just that. 

Captain Marian Price was standing in the corridor outside Colonel Mace’s office as Jack bulldozed his way through security. She watched as he shrugged off the attempts of two uniformed men to hold him back, disarming them effortlessly, as his coat tails whipped wildly about his legs like those torn and ragged clouds at the edge of a hurricane. His face was set in an expression that meant business, jaw jutting out, teeth tightly clenched and eyes burning. He looked ready to take on anything that UNIT could throw at him. 

Mace’s secretary made a feeble attempt to get Jack to take a seat and wait, but he was in no mood for polite requests. He just held up a hand to her in a gesture that brooked no arguments.

“I have an appointment.”

Without waiting for a response, Jack just pushed open the door to Mace’s office, Price following in his wake. Apparently the restraint she had seen him exercising the previous day had now snapped and he wasn’t wasting time on niceties. 

“I have a lot to discuss to with you Colonel, but not much time, so I am going to tell you my terms first and then, if you agree, we talk.” 

“What the hell are you going on about, man?” Colonel Mace had leapt up from his padded chair at the sound of someone crashing into his office.

“Ianto Jones is due to be transferred to your high security prison facility in…” Jack glanced at his watch, his heart racing as he saw just how little time was left, “in approximately forty-five minutes. I want you to postpone that transfer. If you don’t do so immediately, then you leave me no option but to leave now and share the information I possess with your superiors, and trust me, when they see it, they will haul your ass over the coals, demand an inquest and probably bring about a public inquiry into how UNIT is being run. Is that clear?”

“You, sir, have no right to come storming into my office, making unreasonable demands and threatening UNIT. Who the hell do you think you are?”

“I could be your worst enemy, Colonel, because I swear to you here and now, that if Ianto Jones ends up in a cell of that damn prison, you’ll wish you’d never heard my name!”

“Do you really think that I am going to give way to that type of threat, Captain? Get out of here and don’t come back until you are ready to apologise!”

Jack turned on his heel and was about to leave when Price caught hold of his arm. He hadn’t even noticed her presence and although he tried to shake her hand off his arm, he found her grip was stronger than he’d anticipated.

“Jack? Hold on there.” She caught his eye, pleading with him to let her intervene. “Alan, I think we should listen to what Captain Harkness has to say. I trust him, he wouldn’t make idle threats and he certainly wouldn’t resort to this without a damn good reason.”

“Marian, the man’s a law unto himself. I cannot allow him to behave like that in my office.” Mace stabbed his finger in Jack’s direction.

“If you don’t want to listen, I haven’t got time to waste standing here.”

“For God’s sake, gentlemen, can the two of you stop acting like overgrown schoolboys for one minute?” Marian Price pleaded. “Can’t we just sit down and discuss this civilly? Please?”

“I don’t have time -” Jack hissed.

“Please?” Marian looked at the chairs and then back at Jack. He was livid, his face flushed with anger and his eyes flashing dangerously.

Jack rested his hands on the back of one of the chairs and looked directly at the military man standing behind his desk with a look of belligerence about him. He forced himself to speak slowly and quietly, in one last attempt to make progress.

“Colonel Mace, all I am asking at this point is that you keep Ianto in the medical centre until you have heard me out and checked that what I am telling you is the truth.”

“Alan? It’s not much to concede.” Marian Price stood next to Jack, she felt that he deserved her support. “Dr Martha Jones also expressed concern at the detention of Jones. If there is any doubt at all – we can’t permit it. You know my personal feelings about that facility. The only reason it’s allowed to get away with the way it treats inmates, which is appalling, is as a concession to the growing public demand that something be done to punish those who pose a security threat to this country. If Jones doesn’t present such a risk it would be inhumane to send him there. You know that Brigadier Lethbridge Stewart has major concerns over our ethical standpoint these days, let’s take the chance to prove ourselves worthy of the organisation he moulded.” 

Marian knew it was a low blow to mention the Brigadier, but she was aware of how much the Colonel admired the previous leader of UNIT.

“Marian, I know you despise that place, but if Jones did half of what that report says he did, he should be detained there, indefinitely, without question.”

“I can personally vouch for the fact that Ianto is no threat to this country’s security –”

“Captain Harkness, of course you would.” Mace sat down heavily, aware of a tension headache building up. “I’m sorry, but the rumours of your relationship with that young man really do negate any emotional plea you may make on his behalf. Sit down for God’s sake, man. Marian has a point, this won’t be settled with a shouting match.”

“I have proof – and not only of his innocence, but of the indisputable guilt of someone who works for UNIT,” stated Jack. “Someone who really does pose a major threat.” 

“I take it you want to trade one for the other then?” 

Jack pushed his cuff back from his wrist to look at his watch, startled to realise there were only thirty minutes’ left before Ianto would be taken beyond his reach.

“Please? I’m not asking you to release him immediately, but just don’t send him there yet.”

“Marian? You think I should agree to this, don’t you?” 

Marian Price nodded. He respected her as a good soldier, close friend, confidante and more.

Colonel Mace pressed a button on his intercom and instructed his secretary to issue an order for Ianto Jones to be held in the medical facility until further notice. He had her record that the reason for the delay was to allow time for further investigations to be conducted.

“Thank you.” Jack sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he finally took a seat. 

“Don’t thank me yet. I’m still not happy with your attitude, Captain. I suggest you start with the proof you have of a threat within this organisation. That is a serious accusation you are making and I hope you have some damn good evidence for any allegations you intend to make.”

“Yes, I do and I think Captain Price will be able to corroborate at least some of the facts.”

Jack took his PDA from his pocket and opened the file of pictures taken of the crates recovered from the caves and loaded into the UNIT truck.

“These crates were located in a cavern in the cave system, searched by my people alongside Captain Price’s men yesterday.” Jack looked up to Price who nodded in agreement at the photos he showed.

Jack then placed the print outs of the transfer documents on the desk and pointed out that the serial numbers matched the worn out labels that were still on the crates.

“Those crates contain parts of the laser weapon used by the Torchwood Institute to destroy the Sycorax ship. They were designated for storage in the UNIT Black Archive. They never got there. The signature provided on the documents belongs to William Horwood. He used to work at the Torchwood in London, prior to being seconded to UNIT. He was responsible for the design of the laser weapon array on the Valiant-”

“The energy weapon we used to destroy the ATMOS factory?”

“Yes, that was a job well done by the way. Was that your call?”

“Captain Price took charge of the deployment of Hawk Major for that operation. I understand that has alien technology incorporated within it, although such information is, by its very nature, highly classified.” 

“Exactly, and Horwood allowed the original weaponry to be diverted from UNIT into the hands of an unstable and unregulated group. This could be the tip of the iceberg. Who knows what else he siphoned off from UNIT stores. Captain Price’s men arrested Gates, a previous colleague of Horwood, and we know for a fact that he was selling genetically engineered viruses, capable of being used as agents of biological warfare, to the highest bidder.”

“Damn, if this is true, we have a major breach in security.” Mace looked at the paperwork that seemed incontrovertible; there was nothing there that couldn’t be readily checked on UNIT databases.

“It is true and you do have one hell of a problem. I’m prepared to give you the chance to deal with it in house, or I’ll have to go above your head. I’d rather we came to an agreement between us, but if that’s not possible I have copies and backups of all this information.”

“I’ll arrange for Horwood to be taken off duty and held under house arrest until we can verify your claims. Marian, I take it you can substantiate Captain Harkness’ records of the material found in the Brecon caves?”

“Yes, Alan. I’ve examined the findings from yesterday’s mission, those crates were found in the same area as the creature-”

“Creature?” 

“It’s being taken care of by the exobiology team. They think we should call the Doctor in…”

“What creature?” asked Jack again, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“When we have dealt with this, perhaps you’d like to see it?” Marian thought Jack knew of the caged alien they had found, but no doubt other, more pressing, issues had been his primary concern. “No harm has come to it, we’re assuming from its dentition that it is a carnivore and it has been fed and cared for. You may be able to enlighten us as to its species and planet of origin.”

“I’d be happy to offer any help, once this is resolved.”

“Marian – I’d like you to deal with this please. You have the technical knowledge and background to find out what's going on. Could you get over to the Black Archive and take charge of the investigation?”

“With pleasure, Colonel.” Price stood up, saluted her commanding officer, then turned to Jack. “May I take these papers with me?”

“Of course, and please contact my team back in Cardiff. Toshiko Sato will be able to provide you with any further information you require.”

“Thank you, I shall. Trust me, Captain Harkness, I shall get to the bottom of this.” Jack was relieved that she was to carry out the investigation into Horwood. She was a UNIT officer he had come to admire and she inspired confidence.

“Now, Captain, I have heard your very convincing arguments regarding a treacherous agent within our ranks. Now, I should like to hear your reasons why UNIT shouldn’t go ahead with this man Jones’ imprisonment forthwith.”

“The evidence presented to UNIT that precipitated this order – I’d like to see it.”

“Not possible.”

“Damn it, man! I’ve done my bit-”

“I know – but I don’t have it here. But from what I have heard, he rebuilt a Cyberman under your nose, one that could have generated another army of the abominations. The report suggests it came close to destroying your entire base, Captain. Are you going to deny that? Furthermore, you withheld information about the entire affair from UNIT. You failed to inform us of that thing’s existence. That isn’t something we can sweep under the carpet-” 

“I’m under no obligation to divulge to UNIT what Torchwood does. Any information shared is at my discretion-” 

“So, bottom line – did he or did he not sequester a conversion unit and a Cyberman in Cardiff?”

“Yes,” sighed Jack, unable to deny the blunt facts. “And as a consequence of his actions he was suspended without pay for four weeks and then placed on probation for a period of one year.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that he assisted a Cyberman, an enemy alien, escape from the scene of a major confrontation. Collusion with the enemy is still treason.”

“Maybe, but he had no intention of facilitating a Cyberman invasion. His only concern was to save his partly converted girlfriend. He wanted to reverse the conversion process. He wanted nothing more than for her to be fully human again.”

“Do you have proof of that?”

“Yes – if I can show you something from this?” Jack held up his PDA.

During his frantic drive to UNIT, Tosh had called to let him know that she had useful information and that she had transferred relevant extracts from the memory stick to the SUV computer. Jack had rapidly downloaded the files onto his PDA as soon as he had parked in the restricted zone outside the UNIT offices. 

Tosh had painstakingly skimmed through hours of material seeking anything that could possibly exonerate Ianto’s actions. She had succeeded in isolating scenes where, from the conversation alone, never mind the emotions in Ianto’s voice, it was patently obvious that his one desire was for Lisa to be released from the metallic implants and devices that had been installed in her body. Jack hadn’t had the opportunity to view these scenes, but trusted in Tosh to do the right thing. So, as he watched those scenes with the Colonel, he was seeing them for the first time. 

The images that flicked up on the screen captured snapshots from what Jack realised must have been long, heartbreaking months of care and attention. He surmised that Ianto couldn’t have got much sleep in all that time. He observed the care that Ianto took administering painkillers and setting up feeding tubes, how he talked all the time of what they would do when she was better, when she was human again.

“Those are not the words or actions of a man intent on promoting the menace of the Cybermen or of building an army of them. He was just blinded by love into believing that the woman he knew was still in there. The Cyberman manipulated him, using the memories of his girlfriend to get him to help it.” 

Colonel Mace sat quietly, his elbows on the desk, his clasped hands propping up his chin. 

“I’ll grant you that, Captain. It would appear that his actions bore no malicious intent and at worse he was deluded. That would certainly give me cause to reassess the charges placed against him. But that’s not within my jurisdiction. I can only advise my superiors of concerns regarding the arrest warrant. It could still take time and my advice could still be ignored.” 

“There must be something you can do? Because I meant what I said, if Ianto is not released, then I shall take my findings regarding Horwood to the highest authority.”

“Although I can’t have charges dropped just like that, I’d like to suggest a compromise in the meantime. I can recommend that Jones be transferred to your custody, in your capacity as leader of the Torchwood Institute. UNIT could sign over responsibility for his detention to you. How you would intend to carry that out would then be at your discretion.”

Jack stopped breathing for a moment as he let Colonel Mace’s words sink in. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Ianto wouldn’t get the reprieve automatically, but he could take him back with him to Cardiff. He could only hope that Mace could persuade his superiors. He collapsed back into the chair, closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“If you can do that, Colonel, I shall forever be in your debt.”


	49. Chapter 49

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger alert ...
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colonel Mace gave Jack his assurance that he would personally find out the precise source of the evidence that had been used against Ianto. He also stated that if it could be shown that either Gates or Horwood were involved, to any degree, in the production of that material, he was quite confident that he could persuade the relevant department to withdraw the charges or, at the very least, release Ianto into Jack’s custody until a full investigation could be carried out. 

This was more than Jack could have hoped for and he found his faith in UNIT restored to some extent, even though he still considered them to be a decaffeinated version of Torchwood when it came to dealing with alien threats. However, they had resources and manpower that Torchwood, being a far more clandestine organisation, lacked.

Whilst Mace went to work in his office, calling in a small group of assistants to speed up the process, he suggested that Jack take the opportunity to interview Gates. He made it clear that Jack would be accompanied by a UNIT officer at all times, a condition that he could understand and accept. There was part of Jack that wanted nothing more than to concentrate on getting Ianto freed, but his duty as leader of Torchwood demanded that he tried to get some answers from Gates. 

Jack found himself escorted from Mace’s office by a young UNIT officer, smartly attired in neat black uniform and trim red beret. He knew he was in a bad way when he realised that he had no desire whatsoever to flirt with the petite woman who led the way through the maze of corridors. It took a hell of a lot to put him off his inbuilt instinct to make a pass at such a cute young thing, with a pert backside shown off to perfection in a pair of tight, black pants. 

They took an elevator down to the lower basement levels where the interrogation rooms were housed. There were two guards on duty outside one of the rooms and, as they approached, they moved to one side to allow the young woman access to tap the security code into the keypad on the door. She held the door open and ushered Jack inside, where another UNIT soldier stood to attention and saluted him. This one was male, fair-haired and well built. But he could have been middle-aged and overweight for all the notice that Jack was taking of his company. He was determined to focus on this interview, despite his anxiety regarding Ianto’s fate. However, the fact that the man in front of him was the cause of the hardship and suffering being endured by Ianto, gave him impetus to get on with the task at hand.

“Corporal Norton, sir. Colonel Mace explained that you would lead the questioning and that my role will be to act as observer unless it becomes necessary to intervene. The interview will be recorded and copies sent to you as requested, sir.”

“Thank you, Corporal Norton.” 

Jack shook the man’s hand and smiled to himself. Reading between the lines, Mace had sanctioned him to ask what he wanted, as long as he didn’t beat the crap out of Gates. Which made sense, he’d have done the same if their positions had been reversed and at this stage there was no way that he was going to jeopardise his standing with Mace. So, despite his inclination to wring the scrawny neck of the man who had caused so much damage to Torchwood and to Ianto, he would sit opposite him and just ask questions. 

Gates looked much the same as he had when they had first met, although the red jumpsuit did nothing for him. It made his complexion look as colourless as his hair. The one thing that remained unaltered, in a way that was profoundly upsetting, was the smug expression on his face, the look of a man that thinks he has an ace up his sleeve.

“Good afternoon, Harkness. I wondered when you would grace me with your presence. I hear your pawn’s been captured… Jack.” Gates laughed cynically to himself. “To be detained indefinitely at her Majesty’s pleasure, as they say. I don’t suppose you play chess, do you?”

“Never had the patience for it. It takes a devious mind, so I hear.”

“Pity, and you don’t strike me as a card player either. Jacks and knights – same thing really. I wonder if there is a chess notation called ‘queen takes knight’s pawn’… because that would be rather apt wouldn’t it?”

“The fate of any member of my team is none of your damn business.” 

Jack was rattled, he couldn’t help but wonder how the hell Gates knew about Ianto’s arrest. 

“Really? The thing is that he isn’t just any member of your team is he? He’s your weakness, Harkness. I doubt if you’ll be able to keep your mind on the job knowing that he is rotting away in a tiny concrete cell for the rest of his life. Mind you, I do believe the guards there will be more than happy to give him some extra special attention, if you know what I mean. Especially when they find out what his relationship to you has been…”

Jack almost bit his tongue in his efforts not to respond to the insinuations and veiled threats that Gates was issuing. If it hadn’t been for the presence of Corporal Norton, who moved forward to pre-empt any action that Jack may take, he would have wiped the smug expression off that face and probably rearranged the man’s teeth whilst doing so. He had a sick feeling in his gut that this spiteful bastard would have the means to arrange for Ianto to be assaulted. Jack had to compose his mind and bring down shutters between his emotions and his need for answers. But he promised himself that if Ianto was sent to that place, if he suffered in any way as a consequence of anything instigated by Gates, that he would seek the bastard out and kill him, very slowly. 

“Gates – I’m not having that discussion with you. Trust me, if I was, the conversation would be pretty one sided and lacking in words. What I’d prefer is a list of all those previous employees of Torchwood London that are involved in your Victorian Torchwood Re-enactment Society. But I doubt if you’ll co-operate. So how about I ask you a simpler question. Why?”

“Why? Easy – there were plenty of us who despised what you did in Cardiff, and the mere thought of you taking control of the organisation after the fall of London was anathema to us. You directly liaised with the de facto prime enemy of the Torchwood Institute.”

“The Doctor?” Jack was taken aback by the utter stupidity of the statement. “Well, you’re not gonna get a whole lot of sympathy here, seeing as UNIT respect and admire the guy as their prime scientific advisor. Oh yes, and trust me, they really hate people who use alien tech for financial gain.”

“Oh spare me, that was your doing. Once you took over, we were denied access to our rightful funding. We had no choice but to become rather more entrepreneurial in our use of alien resources.” 

“Entrepreneurial? You sold weapons to terrorists!”

“The ends justified the means. We have an infrastructure to -” Gates stopped suddenly, aware that he had been tricked into boasting and had nearly given more away than he intended. 

“Let’s see, an office in London, a lab in Cardiff, some caves in the Brecon Beacons –” 

Jack counted off on his fingers the places that had been uncovered and put out of business. He moved from his chair to perch on the edge of the table that separated him from his prey and leaned towards Gates, doing his best to intimidate him.

“What else have you got set up? How many other cells are there around the country? Some overseas maybe? Australia perhaps?” 

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.”

“You’re finished, Gates. I hope they lock you away and throw away the key.”

“I have done nothing but work for the defence of the Empire from the alien threat.” 

Gates had a sickly grin on his face. He was obviously dangerously deluded, but also vindictive. He paused briefly before looking Jack straight in the eyes before delivering his next blow.

“It wasn’t me that harboured an enemy alien. Whichever way you look at it – that’s treason or assisting the enemy in a time of war. If it was up to me I’d be insisting on the death penalty-” 

Corporal Norton wasn’t able to stop Jack from lunging at Gates this time; he had knocked him from his chair and to the ground before the UNIT soldier could make a move. Norton tried in vain to loosen Jack’s grip about the older man’s throat as he slammed his head against the floor. Fortunately for Gates, the disturbance had caused the two guards from outside the room to come rushing in and between the three of them they managed to drag Jack away from Gates. It didn’t take a genius to work out that Jack wouldn’t have stopped until the other man’s brains were dashed against the grey concrete floor.

“Take him,” Norton gave instructions to the UNIT soldiers, pointing at Gates who was backing into a corner, sheer terror gleaming in his eyes. 

Norton himself was keeping Jack cornered, his arms held out, preventing him from getting another chance to attack Gates. 

“You know what, Gates?” Jack called out over Norton’s shoulder. “You can go to hell and I can guarantee that if I find any more vile excuses for human beings, like you, under any stone I happen to turn over, I shall crush them without a thought. And by the way, you’re wrong. He isn’t my weakness, he’s my strength.”

Gates was escorted from the interview room whilst Norton stood between him and Jack.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I had to stop you.” The young UNIT corporal looked genuinely apologetic.

“Yeah, I understand. I should probably thank you. But right now I can’t.” Jack was bitterly disappointed in himself, he had allowed Gates to wind him up, he hadn’t killed the bastard and what was worse, he may have screwed things up for Ianto by descending to Gates’ level and resorting to hatred and violence. 

A knock at the door distracted Jack from his thoughts. Norton moved away from him to open the door and took a slip of paper from the messenger.

“It’s for you, sir.”

Jack opened the single sheet of paper that was folded in half. Inside was a short message:

_UNIT authorise the release of Ianto Jones into your charge. Release papers are en route to appropriate officials – Corporal Norton will accompany you to the Medical wing.  
Col. Mace_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As they entered the medical centre, Jack ran towards Martha, ready to greet her with a hug and a kiss, but was brought short by the expression of guilt on her face. That was only compounded by the first words she spoke to him:

“I’m sorry, Jack… I’m so sorry.”

“What? What is it, Martha? What’s going on?”

“We didn’t get the order from Colonel Mace until it was too late.” Martha’s eyes were moist and she looked ready to beg Jack’s forgiveness. 

“No! You can’t be serious – how could you let them take him, Martha?” Jack was now panicking, especially after what Gates had said. He’d sworn that he wouldn’t let them take Ianto and now he was too late.

“No – they didn’t take him, Jack. He’s still here, it’s just that –”

“Let me see him then, dammit – is he in there?” Jack pointed at the door that Martha was shielding with her body. Her nod confirmed it and he shoved the door open.

Ianto lay immobile, an arm dangling limply over the edge of the hospital cot. His head was lying at an odd angle, his eyes were shut and his face devoid of colour, apart from the scratches still visible on his cheek. He looked lifeless.

Rushing to Ianto’s side, Jack lifted his hand, brushing his thumb over the knuckles gently, the skin was cool to the touch. He brought Ianto’s hand to his lips and kissed it softly, tasting the saltiness of his own silent tears that fell on the fingers he clasped. 

Jack felt his knees weaken, his stomach turn and his mind scream out for vengeance. He knew he should have killed Gates when he had the chance.


	50. Chapter 50

Jack dared look up at the face on the pillow and then moved up to press a farewell kiss to Ianto’s lips. As he did so, he felt the slightest trace of warm breath, slow and shallow, but there. His heart hammered in his chest – Ianto was still alive. But unconscious and unresponsive. What the hell had been done to him?

“What happened, Martha? What have you done?” Jack growled angrily.

“It’s standard procedure.” Martha stood in the doorway, trembling. She’d never seen Jack this angry, not in all the time she’d known him. “Prisoners bound for the main detention facility have to be prepped for transport. It reduces risks to UNIT personnel to sedate them beforehand.”

“You… you drugged him?” Jack was finding it hard to take on board that Martha had administered a sedative to Ianto.

“It was for the best, Jack. I didn’t know you’d managed to put a stop to the transfer!”

“What have you drugged him with? What the hell did you use?” He lifted the limp arm, running a finger tip over the tell-tale needle mark that showed where he’d been given an injection.

“A combination of ketamine and diazepam.” Martha caught the shocked look on Jack’s face and rushed to explain the rationale, although it no longer seemed as reasonable to her as it had before. “The ketamine acts like an anaesthetic, but still allows the prisoner to breathe unassisted, without intubation. The diazepam minimises the side effects-” 

“Prisoner? Martha – this is Ianto! How long? When will he wake up?” Jack was cradling Ianto’s head in his hands, gently stroking the younger man’s hair, not willing to lose contact, needing to reassure himself that he was still there.

“Anything from four to eight hours.”

“What?!” 

“The medication induces an almost cataleptic state. He’s virtually comatose. Jack – I am so, so sorry.”

The implications of what Martha had said earlier were finally dawning on Jack. He was horrified that Ianto’s last conscious thought would have been that Jack had failed him.

“He thought he was being sent to the prison, didn’t he? The last thing he knew before going under… he thought I hadn’t made it in time, didn’t he? Martha?” 

Martha could no longer trust herself to speak, so she just nodded, seeing how heartbroken Jack was. That was twice in less than an hour that she’d seen a grown man cry. She was extremely fond of both Jack and Ianto, and she had let them down. If only there had been something she could have done to have prevented it. 

“I want you to call Owen and describe to him exactly what you gave Ianto. Formulations, dosages, whatever he needs to know so he can look after Ianto when I get him back to Cardiff.”

“You’re taking him like this? Aren't you going to wait until he comes around?” Martha was dismayed that Jack wasn’t going to entrust Ianto’s care to her.

“I am not leaving him here for another damn minute, Martha.” Jack’s eyes almost bore holes in Martha, such was the conviction with which he spoke. “I want him out of this place. I am taking him home, with me, now. Is that clear?”

“He should be transported in an ambulance. I could arrange a UNIT vehicle-”

“No. He’s going home in the SUV. He’s my responsibility.” 

Martha nodded and left the cell to make a call to Owen, instructing Norton to help Jack. 

Jack reluctantly accepted the assistance of Corporal Norton, who released the brake mechanism on the wheels of the gurney and then helped Jack wheel Ianto all the way out to where the SUV was parked. Norton had suggested that he wait with Ianto near the entrance to the medical department, while Jack went to fetch the SUV, but this was totally unacceptable. Jack wasn’t going to let Ianto out of his sight for a second. Once they had settled him on the back seat, tucked in with blankets and held in place with seat belts, Jack thanked the corporal and then got in to drive back to Cardiff. 

Jack didn’t wait to speak to Martha before leaving. He couldn’t face her yet. He was having trouble coming to terms with her blind faith in UNIT regulations and protocol, and her willingness to go along with procedures without ever questioning them. That was a conversation that would save for another time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Owen was waiting as Jack pulled into the underground parking area. He had a stethoscope slung around his neck and didn’t wait for Jack to switch off the ignition before pulling open the door and scrambling into the back of the SUV to check Ianto’s vitals. 

“Ketamine? What the fuck were they thinking of? I wouldn’t use that combo on a bloody weevil!” Owen swore and grumbled as he unzipped the red jumpsuit that Ianto had been made to wear. He needed to listen to his patient’s heart. Ianto was still deeply unconscious and showed no reaction to the sudden exposure of his bare chest to the cold air.

“I thought ketamine was only used by drug addicts or by vets to treat animals.” Jack’s concerns were only compounded by Owen’s obvious contempt for UNIT’s choice of sedative.

“Yeah, for good reason, too. It can have some nasty psychological side effects, such as hallucinations and paranoia – just what Ianto could use after what he’s been through lately!”

If Owen’s scorn wasn’t enough to alarm Jack, the circumstances under which Ianto had been drugged made the situation far more disturbing. 

“Damn! He thought he was being taken away to be locked up for the rest of his life when they injected that crap into his veins!”

“Oh this just gets better and better. Right, have you got the keys to his house on you?” 

Jack reached into an inside pocket and pulled out the bunch of keys that gave him access to a whole range of buildings, including the residences of all his employees. 

“Yes. Why?”

“There is an antidote, but as he’s had it in his system a while, we may as well just let him sleep it off. But not here.”

“Why not? We have facilities here-”

“No, Jack. Think about it – from what you’ve just said he’d be better off waking up in his own bed, at home.” Owen carefully tucked the blanket back around Ianto, before looking up to Jack and pointing out the obvious. “If he thought he was on his way to a UNIT prison, just think how he’d react to waking up in either your underground cell or my autopsy bay?”

Jack shut his eyes to hide the pain that he felt, imagining only too well what those scenarios could do to Ianto’s state of mind. 

“I hadn’t even considered that, but you’re right. I’ll stay with him.”

“Thought you’d say that. I’ll follow you in my car and help to settle him down, then I’ll come back here and explain to the others what’s going on. OK?”

“Thanks, Owen.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It wasn’t easy manoeuvring Ianto from the back of the SUV and into his house. The red jumpsuit was conspicuous enough, even with a blanket clumsily tucked about him. From the twitching of the net curtains at the windows of the house across the road, Jack fully anticipated having to make calls to the local police to prevent them making an unwelcome house call. 

“Owen, get Gwen to call her police contacts and explain that there’s no crime being committed. I don’t think I can face Cardiff’s finest at the moment.”

“Sure – I’ll do that once we’ve got him inside.”

On opening the door, it occurred to Owen that the house had not been occupied for a while. There was a heap of mail piled up behind the front door that had to be kicked to one side and the air was damp and chilly. Jack hoisted Ianto over his shoulder and carried him up the stairs, instructing Owen to crank up the heating. 

Owen gave Jack time to get Ianto into bed, whilst he made sure the boiler had been switched on and then turning up the thermostat on the heating. He then gathered up the letters and miscellaneous flyers from behind the door and placed them on the kitchen table. It occurred to him to check to see if there was any food in the fridge or cupboards. He wasn’t surprised to find there wasn’t much, apart from a carton of long life milk and some cans of soup. He’d ask Gwen or Tosh to do some shopping for Ianto later. He’d do it himself but it just made him feel depressed, knowing he’d never eat or drink again. 

Sitting down at the kitchen table, Owen pulled his mobile phone from his pocket to make a call to the Hub. He wanted to get it over and done with quickly, he was anxious to check up on Jack and see how he was coping. Owen hadn’t failed to notice how badly this had affected the other man, how shaken he was, that’s why he was giving him time to do something for Ianto. Letting Jack get Ianto settled down on his own gave him the opportunity to make a positive contribution to Ianto’s recovery. Despite his concerns, Owen wanted to give Jack the chance to take back control of this situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack had managed to strip the jumpsuit from Ianto, although red was a colour he normally loved to see him in, this was an outfit that he’d incinerate at the first opportunity he got. As he dressed him in a set of pyjamas, he worried at the lack of response from Ianto to anything, even though Owen had already explained that it was an effect of the sedation and that he should be fine once he woke up.

He smiled sadly as carefully arranged Ianto’s limbs, turning him onto his side and tucking his right hand under his head, thinking back to when he’d woken up behind a waterfall in the recovery position. It struck a chord, the echoes of what Ianto must have gone through, alone and in the freezing cold, not just thinking Jack was dead, but knowing it for certain and then having to wait for him to come back to life. It was now his turn to maintain a vigil. 

“Is he decent?” The knocking on the bedroom door and Owen’s coarse tone broke through the grim mood and made Jack chuckle. 

“Contrary to common belief, Owen, I can put clothes on people as well as I can remove them. Even though it does go against my natural instincts.”

“Yeah, well, I’d like to think that even you wouldn’t take advantage of a conveniently naked, sedated body. Did his dressings and wounds look OK to you, or do I need to check them over?”

“The gauze on the knife wound was clean and the dressing on his arm has been changed by the looks of things. Martha’s doing I suspect.” Jack was pleased that Owen was prepared to trust him to have checked Ianto’s injuries.

Once they had made sure Ianto was comfortably situated on his side and well covered in a duvet as well as several blankets, Owen took Jack to one side.

“I’ll get back to the Hub now. I noticed that he doesn’t seem to have much food in so I’ve asked Tosh to drop by later with supplies.”

“Good, I’m glad you asked Tosh – she was very worried about Ianto, not that Gwen wasn’t. It’s just that-”

“I think I know what you’re saying, no problem. Gwen’s going to call the local cops to let them know that nothing dodgy is going on here.”

“Good. That’s something I don’t want to have to deal with.”

“OK. List of do’s and don’ts - don’t let him eat anything heavy or spicy when he comes round -in other words no fucking takeaway, he’ll only be sick as a dog if you do. Soup should be alright and he’s got some cans in the kitchen. He’ll probably have a stinking headache, but don’t let him take anything for it, he’s got enough drugs in his system as it is. Fluids though – plenty of non-caffeinated drinks. I’ve asked Tosh to buy some fruit juice, she knows what he likes. Don’t let him get up for longer than it takes him to go for a piss. He’ll think he’s fine and before you know it he’ll be out cold on the bathroom floor after cracking his skull on the wash basin.”

“Owen – you know what? I think Ianto may have had a point about your bedside manner. I’m glad he’s not conscious to hear this. Any other words of wisdom?”

“Yeah, just one more thing. But I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

“What?”

“Don’t get into bed with him until he’s fully awake and knows exactly where he is and who you are. No snuggling up under the bedclothes-”

“I wasn’t-”

“Don’t fucking lie to me – that’s just what you were planning to do as soon as I left the bloody house, wasn’t it?”

“OK, then.” Jack smiled, prepared to admit he’d been caught out. “For argument’s sake, if I was thinking of that … why shouldn’t I?” 

“Because the last thing he was told, before being knocked out with enough sedative to keep all the weevils in our cells quiet for the night, was that when he woke up he’d be in UNIT’s answer to Guantanamo Bay. How do you think he’ll react to waking up with some bloke’s body pressed up against him?” 

Jack’s smile fell instantly as the impact of Owen’s words hit home. Much as he wanted to curl up with Ianto and to be there the moment the sedative wore off, there was no way he could afford to add to Ianto’s trauma. There was nothing for it but to wait on the chair at the side of the bed and patiently wait for Ianto to rouse from his drug-induced stupor.


	51. Chapter 51

“Owen – what the hell’s going on?” Gwen launched into inquisitor mode as soon as Owen showed his face back at the Hub. “The phones have been going non-stop. We’ve had officials from UNIT demanding to speak to Jack. Not to mention Martha, who’s called several times wanting to speak to you or Jack, and she sounds awful! She wouldn’t believe me when I said neither of you were here, she just thought Jack was refusing to speak to her. I thought they were such good friends, I can’t imagine why he’d cut her off just like that.”

“To be honest with you I don’t think he is prepared to speak with her yet. Mind you I’m pretty pissed off with her myself. Bloody typical UNIT behaviour, following rules and never fucking questioning them.”

“What’s going on?” Gwen stood defiantly, her hands on her hips, making it clear she wasn’t going to be fobbed off. “Tosh told me that you and Jack had taken Ianto straight back to his house and that you wanted her to get some food in for them, but that’s all we know.”

“OK – Jack got UNIT to release Ianto, we all know that now. Trouble is that before the news got through to Martha, she’d prepped him ready for transfer to the prison. She’d drugged him up to the eyeballs with a cocktail of extremely potent sedatives – strong enough that Jack thought that he was fucking dead when he first saw him. So I don’t think Jack is overreacting – for a change.”

Both Gwen and Tosh were stunned by Owen’s short, but sharp account of what had brought about Jack’s frantic return journey to Cardiff and the reasons he hadn’t stopped at the Hub before taking Ianto home.

“They will be OK, won’t they?” Tosh asked, deliberately including Jack in her question.

“I bloody well hope so, Tosh. Anything else we can deal with to keep the pressure off Jack for now?”

“Yes, a call came in from Captain Price,” Tosh referred to what seemed to be a long list of calls received. “She was very nice, seemed genuinely concerned about Ianto. Anyway, she asked if Jack got a chance could he please check some pictures of the creature that they’d collected from the caves. I haven’t done anything about that yet, we were waiting for Jack to come back.”

“That may be a while – I take it this is that thing Gwen and I saw curled up in a cage, just before everything went to hell?”

“Oh, that? You know what? I really did think it was another pterodactyl-” Gwen smiled as she remembered the animal in the cage.

“Pteranodon – Myfanwy isn’t a bloody pterodactyl, she’s a pteranodon. Ask Ianto.”

“Like I was saying – it was when I saw the head, totally different and it had front legs as well as wings.”

Tosh opened the email from Price and began to play the video file attached. Owen and Gwen were hovering behind her staring at the monitor. 

“Yeah – look, they’ve got pictures of it moving around. Shit! Did it do what I thought it just did?”

“Hang on I’ll replay that bit and freeze it – You’re right, it did do that. Those were definitely flames, and they came from its mouth.”

“But dragons don’t exist, do they?” Tosh was evidently having trouble equating her scientific knowledge with what she was observing.

“Oh my God, if only they knew back in Ystradfellte,” Gwen smiled, recalling her conversation with two old sheep farmers at the bar. “They were calling it Ddraig yr Ogof – and there it is, large as life, the cave dragon itself.”

“Bloody hell, don’t even think of suggesting Jack take it in! Can you imagine the damage that thing could do flying about and singeing everything in sight!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tosh left Owen and Gwen to go through the Torchwood database to see if they could identify the alien that the other woman was convinced was a dragon. She was anxious to see Ianto, to have tangible proof that he was back in Cardiff and not languishing in the hell hole that UNIT euphemistically called a detention facility. Tosh stopped on the way to buy some basic groceries, as well as cartons of fruit juice as instructed by Owen. 

She had her own key to Ianto’s house and let herself in, calling Jack on his mobile first to let him that she was there. The house still felt cold and Tosh turned the heating up a bit more before putting away the shopping, typically Owen had decided that 20oC would be warm enough, whereas she put it up to 24oC. She put some coffee into the filter machine that was set up on the counter, knowing that Jack could probably do with some caffeine, but that he wouldn’t have left Ianto’s side. 

Whilst waiting for the coffee to filter through slowly into the jug, she decided to sort through the post that Owen had left on the scrubbed pine kitchen table. She put junk mail and flyers in one pile and anything that looked more legitimate in a second pile. Tosh smiled as she came across a sepia coloured flyer announcing the grand reopening of the Electro Cinema in a week’s time. She knew of Ianto’s interest in vintage film and removed it from the junk mail pile to the other. Perhaps she could persuade him to organise an outing for the reopening, it might help take his mind off the past few weeks.

Noticing that the coffee was ready she poured two mugs and took them upstairs. She peered around the door to see Jack sitting forlornly staring at the pale face of Ianto, who was still unconscious. 

“Jack? Coffee?”

“Thank you, Tosh.” He gave her a weak smile as he took the coffee and returned to his vigil.

“How’s he doing?” Tosh spoke quietly even though it was obvious that Ianto wasn’t going to wake up any time soon. 

“At the moment? Dead to the world and totally unaware of where he is.” There was a sadness in Jack’s voice that worried Tosh.

“What’s wrong, Jack? He’s safe now. You did it. You got him back where he belongs. You should be happy, not miserable and brooding.” 

“He lost consciousness not knowing that UNIT were going to release him. He had no hope, none whatsoever. When he wakes up, he’s going to think he’s in that damn prison. I can’t even imagine how he must have felt as Martha injected that drug into his veins. For all I know, he may have wished it was poison and that he wouldn’t wake up.”

“Jack, who are you really feeling sorry for? Ianto or yourself? It’s alright to feel angry and pissed off that you weren’t able to walk out of UNIT with Ianto by your side. That’s OK. But in a few hours’ time, he will wake up and the first thing he’ll see will be you and then you can let him know how much it means to have him back. With no audience, just you. Think about it – no UNIT soldiers watching on, no Owen swearing under his breath, or Gwen balling her eyes out, or even me for that matter. Just the two of you. Now stop feeling so bloody sorry for yourself and drink that coffee, or you’ll be asleep by the time he does wake up.”

“Tosh – thank you, I needed that. And I don’t just mean the coffee.” Jack reached up and pulled Tosh in for a heartfelt hug.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was almost two hours after Tosh left that Ianto began to wake up. 

He was initially aware of the ground being softer than he thought it would be. Ah, that would be his imagination trying to break him in gently to his new situation, soft concrete, oh course, could be worse, could have been fluffy clouds …maybe this was brought on by whatever Martha had given him to knock him out. The numbness and muffled sensations were probably also down to the medication, nerves not responding properly yet... It was warmer than he was expecting it to be, perhaps he was feverish? There seemed to be something wrapped around him, trapping his limbs… strait jacket? No, his arms were free; the weight was on top of him, like blankets. That didn’t make sense; it must just be the heaviness in his limbs, making it feel like he was under bedcovers… He then worked out that he was on his side and then wondered what the lumpy objects under his head were, until it dawned on him that they were his own knuckles and then felt softness beneath his hand as if there was a pillow there. 

Ianto dared not open his eyes, wanting to hold onto this illusion for as long as he possibly could. Through his eyelids he could tell that wherever he was, it was quite light, brighter than he had been expecting, he hadn’t thought there would be windows. He was pleased that he wasn’t in darkness. For a while all he’d been able to hear had been his own pulse throbbing in the ear that was pressed against his hand, but now he could hear rustling sounds, as if there was another person present and they had worked out that he was waking, and they were coming over to where he lay. He froze in panic for a moment, terrified at the prospect of someone being there waiting for him and then he smelt that scent that was unmistakable and utterly unique. Jack.

Ianto slowly opened his eyes, hoping beyond hope that his senses were not playing an elaborate and cruel joke on him.

“Jack?” he whispered nervously, hoping the spell wouldn’t be broken if he made a noise.

“Hey there, sleepyhead, thought you were never gonna wake up.” Jack was crouching next to the bed, looking at Ianto with a combination of affection and enormous relief. 

“Am I wearing pyjamas?” He could see a stripy sleeve in front of his face. 

“Yeah – but I can take them off, if you like.” Jack was grinning at him like a fool.

“Is this is a dream?”

“No, this is real – you’re in your own bed, at home.”

“But you’re on a chair...” Ianto frowned, because that part didn’t make sense.

“Owen said I shouldn’t get in bed with you until you knew what was going on.”

Jack reached out a hand tentatively and gently stroked Ianto’s shoulder. 

“You got me out of UNIT, didn’t you?” Ianto looked around slowly, recognising the furnishings of his bedroom. He didn’t quite understand how he’d got there, but he trusted that Jack had made it happen and that was good enough for him. 

“Yes, Ianto – I told you I’d always come after you.” Jack couldn’t help but worry at the frown on Ianto’s face. He looked confused and disorientated, but that was hardly surprising considering all he’d been through in the recent past.

“I’m at home then. In my bed and it’s not a dream?”

“That’s right, not a dream. You can pinch me if you like, to prove it.” Jack held out an arm in case Ianto wanted to test out that theory.

“I’m confused, if I’m at home and in bed, why are you on a chair?”

“Like I said, I’m following doctor’s orders.”

“Since when did you do what Owen told you?”

“Since he started to make sense. How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts, I’ve got a dry throat and I really need the loo. Apart from that, I still think I might be dreaming … don’t want to close my eyes in case I wake up.”

“You’re not making a lot of sense. But I can help you get to the bathroom and then get you something to drink – how about that to start with?”

“Promise me you won’t go if I wake up?”

“You are awake, but I promise I’m not going anywhere.”

Jack helped Ianto out of the bed, getting him to sit up slowly on the edge of the bed and then once he stopped swaying, taking Ianto’s arm and draping it over his own shoulders. Then he wrapped his arm about Ianto’s waist and slowly lifted him up and let him walk slowly towards the bathroom. 

After successfully negotiating a trip to the bathroom and back, which did involve Jack anxiously listening at the door to make sure Ianto did not keel over as Owen had warned, Jack tucked Ianto back into his bed and ran quickly downstairs to grab a carton of apple juice and a glass. 

Ianto was sitting up in the bed when Jack returned and from the look on his face he was still not entirely convinced that he wasn’t hallucinating. He looked so scared and apprehensive that Jack couldn’t resist bending down to kiss him gently, noting from the minty flavour on his partner’s lips that he’d taken the opportunity to brush his teeth.

“Here, drink some of this, slowly.” Jack handed the glass of juice to Ianto, providing a steadying hand to make sure he didn’t spill any.

“Thank you, that tastes good. Throat so dry – how long have I been out?”

“About five hours I guess. I don’t think I can ever forgive Martha for what she did to you.”

“What happened? It’s all a bit vague to be honest, I can remember being in a white room and Martha crying as she injected something into my arm. She kept saying sorry and goodbye… that’s all…”

“She didn’t wait – she went ahead and prepped you for transfer before I got to you.” Jack reached out to take Ianto’s hand in his, rubbing his thumb over the long, graceful fingers. “I thought you were dead.”

“So you blame Martha because you thought you’d lost me? You can’t be angry with her for that-”

“Oh yes I can! She –”

“She kept me in there overnight, Jack. If she hadn’t they would have transferred me directly. Don’t be too harsh on Martha, she’s still young, we all make mistakes. I know you and her go back…”

“You’re too damn forgiving for your own good, you know that, don’t you?”

“Yep, I know. However, you should be grateful for that.” Ianto gave Jack a pointed look that spoke volumes. 

“Touché – you’ve got me there. How are you feeling now?”

“Much better, thank you. Jack?”

“What do you want? Anything, just ask. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

“Come to bed with me?”

“Are you sure?”

“I need you, I need to feel you…” Ianto stumbled over the words and looked aside, almost abashed at declaring his need for Jack so openly. 

“So do I.” Jack placed his hands either side of Ianto’s head and looked him in the eyes, letting him know that the feeling was mutual. 

It didn’t take long for Jack to shed his clothes and crawl into bed with Ianto. It was warm beneath the blankets and before long, limbs were intertwined and chests pressed close together. Jack kissed Ianto slowly at first, barely brushing his lips, but before long control was abandoned in favour of passion and need. Jack had sat for long hours beside the bed, not succumbing to his overwhelming desire to hold his lover and now that he could, he was going to make the most of it. 

The lives they led demanded frequent affirmation that they were both still very much alive and still there for one another, and after coming through the trials of the last few weeks there was no time to be lost.


	52. Chapter 52

Ianto woke to the sound of the smoke detector squealing and the acrid smell of burnt toast. In any other circumstances the combination would have made him very pissed off, but knowing the cause make him inexplicably happy. 

He glanced to one side of the bed where the blue striped pyjamas had been unceremoniously tossed at one point and decided to make a dash for the bathroom before Jack made it back to the bedroom.

By the time he returned, Jack was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking proudly at the tray of toast, boiled eggs and mugs of coffee. 

“I made you breakfast. Come and have some before it gets cold.” He patted the bed indicating that he wanted Ianto to get back into bed.

“So I see – thank you.” Ianto bent down to kiss Jack before sliding back beneath the bedcovers. “Should I even ask what state my kitchen is in?”

“Probably best not to. However, until you’re feeling better I think you should probably stay upstairs.”

Ianto noted that Jack had managed to find the hand-painted egg cups that his sister had given him as a house warming gift. He’d even cut the toast into slices, ready buttered. It was incongruous to see such a display of domesticity from Jack, who was sitting beside him, slurping coffee and munching toast as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Jack – I wondered if it would be OK if I had a few days off.” 

“You OK?” Jack instantly put his toast down and turned to get a good look at Ianto.

“I will be. I just need some time to get my head together– unless that’s that going to be a problem?”

“No, not at all.” Jack reached over and took Ianto’s hand in a gesture of reassurance. “Take as much time as you need.”

“Thanks.” Ianto squeezed Jack’s hand, glad that he hadn’t asked for details. There were things he just wasn’t ready to face yet and there were other things he needed to come to terms with before he could return to work.

“I have to go in today, but I’ll get Tosh to come around later and make sure you’re OK. Don’t even think of arguing. She’ll want to see you anyway and I expect out of the three of them, you’d be happier to see Tosh, yes?”

Ianto smiled and nodded, knowing when there was no point arguing. 

“I’ve got to go over to UNIT later. I need to clear the air with Colonel Mace and there’s something Captain Price wanted help with. I was hoping to ask a favour of her – I’m gonna need to make use of one of their outdoor weapon ranges.” Jack paused, seeing the confused expression on Ianto’s face. “You do still want me to destroy that power cell, don’t you?”

“Yes – but I thought you might already have done that.” Ianto frowned, wondering where it was now, looking over at Jack’s coat that was still hanging on the hook on the back of the door. 

“Not yet. I had other priorities – you for a start. I thought I’d take the ‘big gun’ over to UNIT HQ – having blown that Nostrovite wedding crasher to bits in a barn, it occurred to me that I need to check the settings. I reckon that on full strength it could destroy the Cyber power unit. Would that be alright with you?”

Jack observed Ianto’s reactions carefully as he described his intentions, if he’d seen any hesitation he would have backed down. Instead he saw the younger man swallow hard, before meeting his gaze with moist eyes and an expression of immense gratitude. 

“Of course – thank you. As I said before, it’s something I couldn’t trust myself to do, but I know it has to be done. Do whatever it takes, Jack, but make sure it can never be used again, please.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gwen rushed to greet Jack with a huge grin as soon as he entered the Hub.

“Jack – it’s a dragon!”

“What?”

“Remember that creature that Owen and I saw in a cage in the cavern? Captain Price sent us some video of it – and it’s a dragon! Come and see!”

Tosh stepped out from behind her work station and smiled at Gwen’s rampant enthusiasm.

“Hello, Jack. How’s Ianto today?”

“Thanks for asking, Tosh.” Jack said loudly, pleased that at least one of the team had thought to ask. “He’s doing OK, but he’s gonna take a few days off work.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jack, I didn’t think-” Gwen looked embarrassed at having been so excited at the prospect of showing the pictures of the fire-breathing reptile that she’d not asked Jack about Ianto.

“That’s OK, Gwen. I know you didn’t do it deliberately. However, you could perhaps take on some of his duties until he gets back?”

“Of course, Jack. There’s something else as well, something that might cheer him up. Tosh told me she’d seen a flyer for the reopening of the Electro Cinema. Ianto loves old things – I remember my mam telling me she used to go there when she was a kid. I’ll see if I can see if we can get tickets for a private show there before it opens to the public properly.”

Jack wasn’t sure if Gwen was inadvertently insulting him or Ianto, but the eager look on her face showed that she meant well, so he just nodded in agreement.

“I’m sure Ianto would really appreciate the gesture, thanks, Gwen. Now are you going to show me this dragon or not?” 

“Tosh – show Jack that video clip.”

Gwen pulled Jack over to Tosh’s workstation and they watched as the short piece of video played out.

“Oh – that’s cute,” Jack grinned. “Yeah, that’s definitely a dragon.”

“What, a real one?” asked Tosh sceptically.

“Oh yes, they were real. How do you think they ended up in so many myths – part of folk memory in far flung communities across the planet? Isolated communities that never communicated with one another?” Jack raised an eyebrow as if it was obvious that dragons had once existed. “That poor baby must have slipped through the Rift just like Myfanwy did.”

“So how does it breathe fire?” The scientist in Tosh demanded answers, not mythology.

“They chew rocks – small particles of flint become embedded in their back teeth. To breathe fire all they have to do is grind their teeth to create a spark that ignites methane they belch out from their third stomach. Hey presto – fire!”

“Jack?” Tosh scowled. “Are you making this up?” 

“Would I?” asked Jack, smiling innocently. “I’ve gotta go over to UNIT later. I’ve got some unfinished business. I’ll check in on that baby while I’m there, make sure those bastards don’t try to dissect it. Gwen, wanna come with me? See this dragon again?”

“Really? Of course, I’d love to.”

“Right then, I’d like you to go fetch the big gun from the armoury. The one last used for blasting a certain alien disguised as your mother-in-law. Meet me in the SUV in fifteen minutes. Got that?”

“You’re not going to shoot the dragon, are you?” Gwen looked momentarily horrified.

“No, Gwen. But I do intend to kill another monster off with it.” Jack put his hand in his pocket and clasped the round power cell that sat there, heavy as a stone. “Off you go!”

Gwen grinned and dashed off, keen to do whatever she could to help Jack.

“Tosh – I know you’d have liked to have seen the dragon as well, but there’s something I need you to do here. I need to ask you a favour, if you don’t mind?”

“What is it?” Tosh closed the application on her computer and turned to face Jack.

“I’d like you to check in on Ianto, but don’t let on that’s why you’re there. I’m worried about him. He actually asked for time off. That’s unheard of.” Jack shook his head, recalling all the occasions when they’d had to force Ianto to go home when he’d been sick or injured. “Also, I want you to take that flash drive over to him – the one with the downloads from the cyber unit. I want to let him decide what’s to be done with it.” 

“Yes, that’s a good idea. He’s lost control of so much recently, it might help if he can be the one to decide what happens to it.” Tosh nodded as she considered how to approach the issue. It occurred to her that dealing with it sooner than later would be for the best. “I’ll go now, if there’s nothing else to do here.”

“Sure,” Jack patted Tosh’s hand in gratitude and then his face dropped as he remembered the state he’d left Ianto’s house in. “Oh, and you might want to keep him away from the kitchen until I get the chance to get rid of the mess I made. I’d hate to think-”

“I’ll deal with it. See you later.” Tosh grabbed her coat and made for the exit before she heard what Jack had done to Ianto’s kitchen.

Jack was about to make his way towards his office to call UNIT, when Owen spoke up from where he’d been quietly observing the interactions of the rest of the team.

“So, how is he then? Really.”

“Like I told Tosh, he wants some time off,” Jack sighed. “To get his head together, as he put it. Now, you tell me, does that sound like Ianto?”

“For him to acknowledge that to you, rather than hide behind his suit, come in and make coffee like nothing’s happened apart from a drive out to the country, it sounds like he’s near the edge of a breakdown.”

“Yeah, that’s what occurred to me, too. Physically he seems to be on the mend, but psychologically I can’t even begin to figure out what kind of state he’s in.”

“Just try to be there for him, Jack. What he needs is to feel safe and unthreatened, which isn’t the normal state of affairs here on a day to day basis. So a few days off is probably a good idea. Don’t let him brood – and for fuck’s sake try to act normal around him. When you look as if the world’s about to end, it’s enough to scare the shit out of anyone.” 

“I think I might be able to manage that. If you could man the fort here tonight, I’ll stay over with him again, if that’s OK?” 

“Well it’s not as if I’ve got much else to do anymore is it? No problem. Have fun at UNIT, try not to piss them off too much! Oh yes, you might want to catch up with Martha when you get there. She wants to know how Ianto is. Silly bloody girl, she has potential but she needs to question more and obey less if you ask me.”

“I know, Owen. Trust me, I know. I have a bad feeling about her having transferred the loyalty she had for the Doctor to UNIT. They don’t deserve it. Hell, I’m not sure he always deserved it.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jack’s return visit to UNIT was a more sedate affair than it had been the previous day. Instead of storming the offices, he waited as requested and did not knock anyone flying. When he saw Corporal Norton, he gave him a big grin and a slap on the back. 

Whilst Jack compared notes with Mace, relieved to discover that Horwood had been arrested and held for questioning, Gwen accompanied Marian Price to visit the exobiology department. She was delighted to be given permission to take lots of pictures of ‘her’ dragon. She couldn’t wait to show Rhys, she knew he’d be so envious of her having seen a real Welsh dragon.

Once he’d finished his conciliatory talks with Mace, Jack took advantage of the opportunity to use the outdoor range to destroy the power cell that he had brought with him. The range was empty, the heavy rain of the morning having left it deserted. Before blasting it into fragments smaller than shreds of confetti, he held it in one hand regretting bitterly the day he had cut it from the skull of the dead pizza delivery girl. The smooth, round, apparently benign, piece of alien technology had almost brought down everything he had built, had succeeded in causing him no end of grief and had caused untold damage to Ianto. His own arrogance had sent Ianto into the hands of his enemies, with the means to set his very soul adrift. How could he blame others when he was himself responsible for all that had transpired? There was no way to reset the clock and undo what had been done. 

Taking a deep breath, Jack swore to learn from this experience. He knew then that if ever he had the chance to make amends for his negligence he would do so without question. Meanwhile, he needed to get out of the rain and find something to lighten his mood, so he got in the SUV and headed for the enclosure where Captain Price had taken Gwen. 

He found both women cheerfully observing the small creature, no bigger than a medium sized dog, perching on a branch, preening its wings. It was exquisitely formed, from its delicate wings that appeared to be made of the softest leather, to its sharp, pointed talons. It seemed to shine, covered in glossy, diamond-shaped, blood- red scales. The brilliant crimson eyes virtually gleamed in its head.

“So, Captain, Gwen here tells me that you say this it isn’t an alien. How do you make that out?”

“It’s not exactly alien. It’s indigenous – just out of its time.” Jack had a feeling of empathy for the small reptile. He, too, was out of his time. Unlike the dragon, he had found a home.

“What do you think we should do with it?”

“I’d offer it somewhere to live, but I’ve already got a large flying, carnivorous reptile and I get the feeling she won’t want to share air space.”

“I don’t know whether or not to believe you,” Marian Price laughed nervously.

“Actually, he’s not exaggerating. For a change,” piped up Gwen, earning a disapproving glare from Jack.

“Maybe we can wait for the Doctor to come by. I’m sure he’ll have an idea. I’ll make sure it’s well cared for in the meantime – although any tips you can give us on feeding would be appreciated.”

“Thank you – Ianto is the expert on care of ancient reptiles, I’ll get him to send you a care plan. As for the Doctor, I’m sure he’ll be able to help rehome her eventually. Talking of the Doctor, is Martha around? I can’t seem to get through to her on the phone.” 

“Martha Jones? She left earlier – there’s been a standing invitation for her to assist a special project at the UNIT headquarters in New York. She made her decision this morning and chose to leave immediately.”

“New York?” Jack smiled wistfully. “Good for her.” 

Jack wondered what that special project was, maybe he’d ask around, find out what UNIT were up to. He wondered if he could persuade young Norton to have a drink with him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark and wet by the time Jack had managed to drop Gwen off at her apartment block and picked up some food. He was surprised to find Ianto’s house in darkness when he parked outside. 

Jack knocked on the front door before opening it with his key. He reached out for the light switch in the hall, but nothing happened. Looking around in some concern, he saw a thin line of light seeping out from under the door to the living room. Opening the door slowly, ready to draw his gun if necessary, he was relieved to find Ianto sitting on the floor, his back to the sofa, in front of the fireplace. The flickering glow from a wood fire and a varied assortment of candles cast sinister looking shadows about the room. Ianto turned to look up at him, his face softly lit by the dancing flames in the hearth.

“I’d say this was romantic, but it’s freezing cold in here,” scowled Jack, wondering what the hell Ianto was playing at. “What’s going on?”

“No electricity. Do I need to spell it out for you? No lighting, no heating, no fridge, no kettle –” 

“Stop! I get the picture. What happened? Fuse blown?”

Ianto rolled his eyes to make it perfectly clear that he could have sorted out a blown fuse himself. Jack noticed that he appeared to be wearing several layers of jumpers, so he assumed the power had been off for quite a while. The fact that he hadn’t resorted to going to the Hub to warm up, gave Jack a further insight into how he was feeling. 

“Nope – power got cut off. After Tosh left. Apparently when I was charged and arrested for treason by UNIT, an automatic stop was made on all financial activity in my name. My funds were seized and all my direct debits were cancelled. The electricity board were instructed to turn off the power today – the day I was due to start my confinement.”

“I’m sorry about that, I’ll sort it out for you.” Jack sat down on the sofa behind Ianto. “Hungry? I picked up some food on the way – fish and chips OK?”

“Great, I’m starving – do you mind eating them out of the paper? Save washing up with cold water.” 

“What? Not the best china? Move forward then, let me share some heat from that roaring fire.” Jack raised his eyebrows derisively at the feeble fire that was flickering about a few sticks of wood and some scraps of paper. He slid down to the floor so that Ianto could sit between his legs, resting his arms on Jack’s knees.

“It’s all I could find to burn – don’t mock. You’ve got the big coat to keep you warm anyway.”

They sat in companionable silence, Ianto leaning against Jack, as they ate their fish and fed each other chips. They were both glad of something hot to eat, as it warmed their hands as well as their stomachs. 

“What’s that you’re burning?” Jack pointed at the letters and envelopes that were curling up and blackening in the grate.

“Junk mail – best way to beat identity fraud. Not that they’d have much luck using my name and address right now. I’ve got more here if you want to stoke the fire a bit.” Ianto passed over to Jack the stack of letters and flyers that Tosh had kindly sorted out for him. 

Jack flicked through the pile waiting to go on, throwing on a letter from a credit card company and a flyer from Weight Watchers. He stopped when he got to a postcard.

“Are you sure this is junk?” He put it down to take another chip from the greasy bag that Ianto held out for him.

“Yep – you’d be surprised how personalised they can make junk mail look. It’s to fool the unsuspecting that it’s actually meant for them. That’s an invite to a chess club.”

Jack almost choked on his chip and probably would have done if Ianto hadn’t twisted around and slapped him hard on the back. 

“I’ll go fetch you a glass of water,” said Ianto as he stood up and picked up one of the candles from an end table. 

“Thanks.” Jack tried to keep his voice light, although he had an uneasy feeling about the card that Ianto had dropped to the floor.

On closer inspection, the picture on the card was apparently a scene from a cult TV series from the 1960’s, filmed at Portmeirion in North Wales. On the back was a simple printed message:

**You are cordially invited to join the Portmeirion Checkmate Chess Club.**  
**Be seeing you!**  
**No.6**

Jack battled down a wave of nausea that struck him without warning. He was glad Ianto was out of the room and couldn’t see his reaction. How the hell had Gates managed to accomplish this? The implications were enough to terrify him. 

“Jack – what’s the matter?” Ianto asked, as he returned from the kitchen. Even from behind, he could see that Jack was tense.

“Nothing. The arctic conditions in here just gave me a chill, that’s all. C’mere.” Jack stood up with a genuine shudder, then pulled Ianto towards him and kissed him soundly. 

“I’m sorry … maybe we could burn a few chairs, if you could break them up for me.” Ianto wrapped his arms about Jack’s waist, inside the coat, revelling in the warmth.

“Gwen told you about the broken chair?” Jack shook his head as he saw Ianto smiling slyly at him, recognising a tease when he saw that expression. “Right, I know you asked for time off, but you’re coming back to my place tonight. At least I’ve got heating and lighting. Not to mention a coffee machine. Go, fetch yourself whatever you need and I’ll put out this blazing inferno.”

“What? Now?” Ianto wondered what had caused him to make such a sudden decision, but he wasn’t going to argue. He’d had more than enough of being freezing cold in the past week.

“Yes - my quarters are warm, cosy, and safe. And I want to look after you.” All of which was true, especially the need to protect Ianto.

Whilst Ianto was out of the room, Jack picked the postcard up to look at it once more with revulsion, before tearing it in half and throwing it onto the fire. 

This time he would not hesitate to kill them before they got anywhere near Ianto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one more part to this 'trilogy' - Checkmate.
> 
> I'm happy to start posting that if I think there are enough people wanting the set to download for e-readers, or just to read again here. I am making quite a few subtle changes, to remove inconsistencies, tidy up the typos and to make the chapters flow more smoothly than they did originally.


End file.
